The Bookworm and The Prankster
by Misha Young
Summary: After fourth year, Hermione and Ron made their peace and moved on as friends. But what if another Weasley fell for the brains of the Golden Trio, and what if Hermione began to have feelings for one of Hogwarts most famous tricksters? As the story unfolds from the end of the Triwizard Tournament, we'll see if Fred and Hermione are really meant to be. K plus for now.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione POV

The ride back to King's Cross Station was silent.

It wasn't an entirely uncomfortable silence; but it felt warranted after the year that had just come to an end.

Their fourth year had been _difficult_ to say the least. And the ending of the Triwizard Tournament had been devastating to everyone.

Cedric Diggory was dead.

Voldemort had returned.

And no one appeared to believe Harry.

These three points whirled around Hermione's mind as she sat against the window of their carriage, watching the summer greenery whip by as the Hogwarts Express pushed on to London. Harry sat directly next to her while Ron and Neville sat opposite them. Every once in a while Hermione would reach out and wrap a comforting hand around Harry's forearm and squeeze it gently; just to let him know that she was still there. That she would always stand beside him.

Harry spared her a small smile each time this happened. Once or twice he insisted that it wasn't necessary, but Hermione could see in his bright green eyes that he appreciated it all the same.

The four barely spoke the entire ride home; only exchanging brief words when people popped into their carriage to say goodbye and when the food trolley stopped outside their door.

Ron extended the invitation to visit the burrow, like he did every summer. Neville graciously declined; he stated that his Grandmother was taking him on a trip for most of the summer holiday. Harry jumped at the idea of getting away from the Drusley's faster this year, but he mentioned that Dumbledore had asked him to stay with his Aunt and Uncle until someone came for him. And Hermione wanted to spend some time with her parents since she hadn't even seen them during the Christmas Holidays; but she said she would be more than happy to come stay with the Weasleys later on in the summer.

Ron and Hermione shared a warm yet hesitant smile.

They had grown apart since the Yule Ball; but had worked together for the sake of Harry's survival during the tournament. The day before Cedric's funeral, Hermione had decided that the air needed to be cleared if their friendship was going to be able to continue forward. She had pulled Ron away from Harry and the common room that afternoon and laid everything out between them; she had calmly stated that she couldn't be someone's backup plan or second choice. Hermione admitted that she cared for Ron deeply but that she had realized that it was now more of a brotherly feeling of love than anything else. Hermione held her breath as she continued to explain how she wanted desperately to remain friends with Ronald and how they needed to get past this quickly for their own sakes and for Harry's. Ron thankfully had agreed and apologized profusely about making her feel any kind of hardships. They had embraced awkwardly and agreed to begin rebuilding their relationship strictly as friends.

But they were still finding their footing in this new friendship; the fact that everyone in Gryffindor seemed to know about their discussion added to the slight discomfort.

When King's Cross Station came into view, Hermione motioned for the three boys to begin gathering their things and to prepare to disembark. Ginny and the twins soon joined them in their compartment, quietly exchanging goodbyes with the people they were not related to.

Hermione hugged Ginny tightly, promising to come visit as soon as possible.

"Please don't leave me alone with all the boys for the entire summer. I'll go mad," the younger witch grumbled under her breathe.

Hermione chuckled lightly as she turned to quickly hug George goodbye, "Take care Granger. We'll see you soon, I expect." She noticed that George's wide grin didn't quite reach his eyes.

The train came to a screeching halt and jostled around the seven occupants of their little compartment. Some of the trunks shifted and Hermione threw out a hand blindly to steady herself as she began to topple forward.

Her arms were tightly grasped by strong stable hands before she made contact with the wall, "Alright there, Granger?" Hermione looked up to find Fred Weasley smiling down at her with a crooked grin.

"Yes, thank you Fred," she straightened herself and regained her balance. Hermione carefully rose to her toes and wrapped her arms loosely around the twin's neck, "I'll see you later this summer. Try to stay out of trouble." Hermione smiled as she pulled back and found a mischievous expression on Fred's face.

The others had begun to exit the compartment, and Hermione felt a strange tightening at her stomach as Fred made no movement to leave.

Instead he bent down slightly so that he could whisper directly into her ear, "Don't worry about me Granger; I don't seem to attract trouble as much as you, Harry and Ron." He voice dropped its cheerful banter as he continued, "Be _safe_ , Hermione."

Fred had gently placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder while he spoke. And as he stepped around her to carry his trunk out of the train, his fingers slid down her arm leaving a pulsing sensation over her skin.

Hermione stood in frozen shock for a few seconds.

She turned toward the open carriage door, just in time to see Fred Weasley offer her a small smile that could almost be categorized as shy.

Hermione smiled back and hesitantly waved as Fred faded into the crowd of people on the platform.

* * *

 _Sooooooo, what do you all think?_

 _Interested... not interested... keep going? Let me know!_

 _I will be updating this one sporadically until I figure out what I want to do with it. Just wanted to share to get some opinions._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review and let me know if you think I should continue._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow! Can't thank you all enough for the warm reception of the first chapter. Take this next one as a HUGE thank you for all the love!_

 _Thank yous to all the Followers and Favorite-ers and of course the lovely Reviewers: Binka Fudge, pianomouse, lilyflower49, wisegirl9876, EmmaLerman, and guest._

 _Binka: Thanks so much! Don't worry too much about George, I just thought that Cedric's death would make the war more real to everyone. And George always seemed a little more serious to me, so I thought he would be slightly more effected._

 _Here we go!_

* * *

Fred POV 

Fred flopped onto his bed at Grimmauld Place and threw his hands over his face, "I don't know how many more lectures I'll be able to take Georgie."

"Well, we'll just have to keep working on the shop more _quietly_. And don't let Mum catch you making jokes about not finishing Hogwarts anymore. You _know_ it wouldn't hurt to have the extra Charms and Potions classes anyway." George grabbed a pillow and tossed it toward his twin. With Fred not paying attention, the pillow landed on his chest with a huff.

They had been moved to the dreary London townhouse a week after summer holiday had begun. Dumbledore had suggested the move as a safety measure for the Weasley's. But their Mum had mumbled something about keeping Sirius Black safe and out of trouble as well.

The twins had claimed a room on the fourth floor, a bit further away from the rest of the family, so that they could work in privacy as they attempted to get their budding joke shop off the ground.

Fred sighed, "Yea, alright. But I'll need a distraction if you want me to get through the summer without trying to turn Mum into a teacup or something."

"I'm sure if you torment Ginny enough; she will practically beg for _your distraction_ to come visit," George waited to see if his loosely veiled implication would be caught by his twin.

Fred chuckled, "What are you…" His head shot up and he glared at George, "What is that supposed to mean, _dear_ brother?"

George snorted, "Oh… nothing. Just wanted you to understand that I _know_ … and I will probably poke at you about it all summer to keep myself distracted while we're cooped up in here."

"And what do you think you know, George?"

"Well, Freddie... I believe I know quite a bit actually. I mean… I am your twin; other half, better half in fact. I know how you work, how you think and I know _all_ your tells." George got out of bed and busied himself with organizing the ingredients that they had left over from their last batch of nosebleed nougat, "It wouldn't be very fun if I told you everything right now though; much more fun torturing you with bits of information gradually as we get through the holiday."

Fred smirked thinking that his brother was just bluffing, "You don't really have anything on me…"

"Ah, ye of little faith." George turned to face his twin and took a dramatic sigh, "I know that the day before Diggory's funeral you looked happier than the first time we stepped foot into Zonko's… very unbecoming so soon after a fellow classmate's passing." George's voice trailed off as he walked over to the dresser and pulled a pair of pajamas from a drawer and began to get ready for bed.

"George, Harry gave us a _thousand_ Galleons that night; of course I was a bit chipper. You were too!" Fred forced a laugh from his throat, but he could still feel his ears get a bit warm.

"Yes, but you had a moronic grin on your face before Harry even spoke to us that night. There were rumors flying around the tower about a certain couple… who shall remain nameless… who apparently had decided that they were better off as friends." George didn't even bother looking at his brother; he knew that Fred was probably about the same shade as his hair now.

"You know... I could hex you into next week?" Fred's voice came out a bit more venomous then he had intended. He was embarrassed to say the least; he hadn't admitted it out loud to anyone, not even to himself yet. That moment on the train had plagued his dreams almost every night for the past few weeks, but he still hadn't made himself explicitly spell out what it meant. But here was George insisting that he knew Fred's inner thoughts and he was trying to smoke out the truth, so to speak.

"But you won't do that. You'd miss me too much," George offered a dazzling smile as he fell into his own bed and waited for Fred's retort.

Fred narrowed his eyes at his twin and swallowed with some difficulty, "And what if I owned up to your insinuations?"

"It would probably make my summer less interesting since I wouldn't be able to embarrass you as much. But I'm sure _you_ would feel better. And who knows, maybe I could lend a hand or something," George shrugged as he continued to smile broadly.

There were a few moments of silence while Fred collected his thoughts and decided if he wanted to finally confront the issue head on.

"Well, what if I told you that I fancied Ron's best friend?"

"Really? I had no idea, you liked blokes, Freddie. But I mean Harry is a decent choice... even with him being a bit of a celebrity. He is the boy who lived, after all. Though I'm pretty sure you'll have some competition from Gin…" A pillow went flying at George's face as he quickly gushed to his brother.

"You're a prat George," Fred pulled his one remaining pillow from under his head and placed it over his face so he could yell a bit of frustration out without alerting the rest of the house.

George couldn't help his laughter from filling the room.

"So... are you planning to tell Hermione that you fancy her any time soon?"

Fred didn't know what to say; the blatant question sat between them like a huge elephant.

"Do you think I should?"

George didn't hesitate, even for a second, "You'd be a lucky man if you could convince her to go out with you. And I suppose that she could do much worse than you, Freddie."

"You really are a prat, George…" But Fred was smiling from the small vote of confidence that his twin had given.

* * *

 _And... thoughts? Still intrigued?_

 _Again, I will be updating this one sporadically until I figure out what I want to do with it. Just want to get some opinions._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review and let me know what you think!  
_

 _***I love Reviews, just fyi. =)_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello there! So absolutely cannot believe the reception that this story is receiving. I just love this pairing and the story kind of latched on, and I guess you all are liking it too._

 _Thank you to all of those who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed! Binka Fudge, pianomouse, lilyflower49, MissesE, Death By Insanity and tonfeltonlover1991; thank you so much for the extra encouragement._

 _This is for you guys!_

* * *

Hermione's POV

Most of June had already slipped by when Hermione and her family had returned to London. They had gone to France for a few weeks to escape the drizzly England and soak up some of the sun and good weather of the Riviera.

Hermione had enjoyed the vacation, but was glad to be home. She fell into her fluffy bed and shuffled through the owl post that had piled up while she was away.

There were seven notes from Ginny, one from Viktor and three from Harry.

Ginny asked about France and pleaded for Hermione to come visit as soon as possible. She said that her brothers were being completely unreasonable and that she needed a female friend to help balance out the testosterone. Ginny sounded tired, but didn't elaborate as to why or what she had been doing. Actually the ginger witch hadn't even really explained exactly what her brothers had done that was so tertible… all of her letters were vague and seemed to lack any real information at all.

Viktor's letter was polite and thoughtful. He asked about how she was and what her plans where for the summer. Hermione had become good friends with the Bulgarian wizard during the tournament and agreed to help him improve his English by writing with him. She enjoyed the correspondence. And that had been the whole reason for the Triwizard tournament in the first place; international magical cooperation.

Harry's notes had been short but seemed to still ramble somehow. He spoke about how bored he was and how much he wanted to leave for the Burrow to go flying with Ron, and possibly just be around people who didn't seem to hate his very existence when he entered a room. Harry had wished her safe travels and hoped to see her soon. Her best friend also admitted that he was a bit depressed; he had not gotten many letters from Ron.

Hermione frowned; what on earth was Ron doing that he couldn't write their other best friend? She had been away for almost two weeks, and she had told Harry about the trip so that he would understand the lack of contact. Hermione had actually suggested that Ron keep up a good communication with Harry to make sure that he didn't feel cut off. _I guess he didn't listen to me…_

She sighed in frustration; but decided to let the matter go and just write to Harry herself.

Just as Hermione sat up to begin answering the letters, she found an owl tapping at her window carrying yet another scroll. She found a small box of treats and offered one to the owl as it hopped inside the room. The owl appeared to have been instructed to wait for an answer because it sat there and stared at Hermione while she removed the note; and the owl made itself perfectly at home while it bided the time.

Hermione unrolled the small piece of parchment and was surprised to find that it was from Fred. The twin's writing was small, precise and easily legible; the complete opposite of Harry or Ron's.

' _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _This letter is to ask… no_ _implore_ _that you come stay as soon as you can. Miss Ginevra Weasley has threatened numerous hexes during your absence. And I beg you, for my own sake especially, to come visit before she begins to practice her spellwork on us all._

 _Sincerely yours,_

 _Mr. Fred Weasley'_

Hermione laughed at the formality of Fred's letter and placed it off to the side while she found some parchment and a quill to respond to everyone.

As she wrote Harry back about how much she missed him and suggested the possibility that she come visit him at the Dursley's, a letter popped into existence right in front of her eyes with a bright red feather tied securely to the rolled parchment.

She shook her head in slight shock. Hermione wasn't sure she had ever gotten this much personal mail before… well from people she actually _knew_.

Hermione carefully removed the feather and flattened the letter; she was correct in thinking that the note had been from Professor Dumbledore. He was requesting that she come stay at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, with the Wealeys, as soon as possible; he had offered to make arrangements for someone in the Order to come help her with her trunk in only two days' time. She sighed in exasperation; Dumbledore had also requested that she not inform Harry about where she was going. He insisted it was to protect the Boy-who-lived, but Hermione hated the idea of keeping her best friend in the dark and she liked the idea of continuing to leave him to the will of the Dursley's even less.

After Hermione quickly spoke to her parents and asked their permission to leave and stay with the Weasleys… it wasn't entirely a lie since they were going to be there… Hermione began to write upon the empty space that had been provided at the bottom of Dumbledore's letter.

Her inked message of acceptance slowly dissolved in the paper. When the ink resurfaced on the parchment it formed an entirely different sentence; _'Wonderful. Please be ready by one o'clock in the afternoon, on the first of July.'_

"Huh, enchanted parchment… that's interesting," Hermione decided to do some research on the paper's properties and what kind of charms were needed for such an object. It was quite fascinating to her and could be useful in the future.

She finished her letters to Harry and Ginny and set them aside; should she reply to Fred as well?

Hermione twirled her quill between her fingers as the short train memory played through her mind for the umpteenth time that summer. She had tried to convince herself that it didn't mean anything. How could it? The idea of fancying Fred… of him liking her… it just didn't make any sense. They were very different people, but they _were_ friends in some capacity. And it wouldn't be a terrible idea to have such a friend on her side, even with his troublesome streak.

So with a strange little feeling of something in her gut, she pulled another slip of parchment and began to write;

' _Dear Mr. Weasley,_

 _I am very sorry for the troubles that I may have inadvertently caused. I have sent word to Ginny about my impending visit. I hope that will quell her temper until I arrive._

 _-Sincerely yours,_

 _Miss Hermione Granger'_

Hermione looked at salutation and frowned. It seemed silly to copy the words Fred had used verbatim, but she had no other ideas of what to say. On the other hand though… why was she so concerned about something so minor?

* * *

 _Thoughts?!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review and let me know what you think!  
_

 _***I love, Love, LOVE Reviews... just fyi. =)_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! 'Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello!_

 _Thank you to everyone to Followed, Favorited and Reviewed this past chapter! P_ _ianomouse, Binka Fudge, MissesE, and Death By Insanity; Hugs to you all for the extra love for this story, Thanks! And I love the 'ranting' Binka; no worries.  
_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Fred's POV

Fred chuckled to himself as he read Hermione's response to his owl. George had been the one to convince him to send her something… _anything_ really. And with them overhearing through their newest invention, extendable ears, that the Order would be bringing Hermione to Grimmauld place; Fred thought it would be perfect timing and a bit humorous to send her the invitation.

And… it was _safe_ … Fred had to admit that he had taken the safe course when he had devised the letter. He knew that she would say 'yes' since Dumbledore would be requesting her to come as well. But Fred had hoped that she would at least feel compelled to write back and he was delighted that she had played along with his joke.

Hermione had also requested him to hand off her note to Ginny, as well as politely asked if Fred's owl could carry her other letter to Harry.

Fred knew that everyone in the house had been ordered to _not_ give Harry any kind of information about the happenings that were taking place in the wizarding world. Ron had used a few choice swear words when they had overheard that decision; he didn't agree with cutting Harry off from their world 'for his own good.' But when the youngest Weasley son had attempted to send an owl to his best friend, he had been caught and the note had been confiscated when it was deemed too revealing.

The twins thought this had been ridiculous and had sent Harry little notes occasionally with the help of Ginny and Ron. They were usually nonsense and just meant to give the Boy-who-lived a laugh and reminder that they were still there for him. The four of them had gotten caught a few days ago by Remus. And though the older wizard had chuckled at their strange limerick and pretended to not see them anymore; since then, the post had been a bit more tightly regulated.

But Hermione had answered more quickly than Fred had anticipated; and no one was at Grimmauld place other than the Weasleys and Sirius at the moment. …And _Hermione_ didn't know about the ban on owling Harry…

Fred grinned widely and grabbed a treat for Sofia, his owl, and quickly apologized as he instructed her to immediately go to Harry and wait for a reply.

* * *

Hermione's POV

Hermione decided that she needed to clean out her trunk and began to filter through the items from her fourth year.

She pulled out all her books and set them on the shelving in her room, next to all her other lower year texts. She tried on her robes and found that they were a tiny bit short; she would have to ask her mother if she could let the extra fabric down. As if on cue, Mrs. Granger came into the room and began helping her daughter sort through the school items.

"So, you still haven't told me about the Yule Ball…" Mrs. Granger knew that something had happened at the Christmas dance, and she didn't want to bring up any uncomfortable memories... but she wanted Hermione to talk to her. "You told me all about the _incredibly_ dangerous tasks that Harry had to participate in, but I could not get you to tell me about this ball you had been so excited about."

Hermione shifted a bit nervously at Mrs. Granger's words. She usually told her mother everything; with the occasional edit to downplay some of the danger, but she hadn't had 'boy' problems before so this was new territory, "Well, it was lovely. The dress we found made me feel gorgeous and I made some new friends. I went with one of the other school's champions actually; he was very gentlemanly and we had a very nice time."

"But…" Mrs. Granger tried not to smile as her daughter huffed a little and continued the story.

"But, my friend Ronald put a bit of a damper on the night… right at the end."

"Is everything alright between the two of you?" Hermione had never made friends easily, so Mrs. Granger had been delighted when Hermione began writing home about her two 'best friends' that she had met at her new school. She hated the idea of her daughter quarreling with one of those close friends.

"Yes; we're fine now. I just…" Hermione's face blushed a rosy hue, "Well, I thought I _liked_ Ron for a moment. But we've talked and decided that we are much better as friends."

"I always knew you would end up fancying that boy at one point or another."

"Mum!" Hermione's face flushed a darker red.

"Well, it's true, Dear," Mrs. Granger chuckled lightly as she folded some of the old clothes from the trunk. "I always felt like Harry was like extended family to you, with the way you spoke about him. But Ron was always… a conundrum. Are you sure you don't fancy him anymore? You're sure everything is alright between you both?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled at her mother's concern, "Yes Mum. Ron and I don't really compliment each other well; in the couple sense. I think we're both too insecure and stubborn to fit together. But we _are_ very good at being friends, so I choose to focus on that."

Mrs. Granger nodded in understanding, "Well, that's very wise of you. You need to find someone to balance your occasionally severe outlook on life anyway."

"Mum!"

The two Granger women laughed heartily as they continued to pick through the forgotten clothes and magical items while they excitedly discussed the anticipation of the coming school year.

* * *

 _Tell me all your thoughts; and... GO!_

 _Hope you all liked the little bit with Mrs. Granger, I always wished we had a bit more of them in the stories so I hope you all are ok with hearing more from them in the future._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***I love, Love, LOVE Reviews... just fyi. =)_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello wonderful readers!_

 _Just wanted to thank those of you who followed and Favorited last chapter; so glad you're liking this little story. And to my wonderful reviews; MissesE and GinnyPotter6891. You two rock my socks. This chapter is for you two._

* * *

Hermione's POV

"You know I hate when you leave home so early. You're father and I never get enough time with you," Mrs. Granger had a frown set on her pretty face and sadness pulled at her eyes.

"I know, Mum. I really am sorry. But Professor Dumbledore says it's to keep _all_ of us safe," Hermione hated not spending more time with her family. But with the fact that Hermione was still underage and could not perform magic outside of Hogwarts, it really was safer for her to go stay with the Order. Dumbledore had also suggested that the Granger household have a few protection spells put into place, and that he would be sending someone over to do so as soon as possible.

Hermione moved forward and wrapped her arms around her mother, "Don't worry, Mum. I'll be safe with the Order. And someone will be here shortly to add some ward around the house to protect you and Dad too."

Mrs. Granger nodded, "I know, I know. But I expect to see you for the Christmas Holiday then. Understood?"

"Yes, Mum," Hermione chuckled at the determined tone that her mother had taken. She had had a _very_ similar conversation with her father just last night after supper, and she laughed a bit at the parallels that the conversations had taken. Mr. Granger had also firmly _requested_ that Hermione be back as soon as Christmas Holiday began.

* * *

Hermione stood in the kitchen with her father making tea and chatting about a new dental procedure that Mr. Granger was trying to implement at the practice. Their conversation was disturbed by Mrs. Granger's shocked scream from the sitting room.

Mr. Granger and Hermione ran from the kitchen, just in time to see Mr. Weasley, Remus and Fred step through the hearth surrounded by green flames.

"Hello Mr. Weasley!" Hermione stepped into the Weasley patriarch's outstretched arms and gave him a welcoming hug. She then gave a tight embrace to Remus, who insisted that she needn't call him 'Professor Lupin' any longer. Mr. and Mrs. Granger followed suit and happily welcomed the guests.

"Hey Granger," Fred wore a wide smile as he offered Hermione a very brief hug.

"Fred, always good to see you," Hermione chucked a bit nervously. Wait, why was she nervous?

Mr. and Mrs. Granger quickly shook hands with Fred and told him to make himself at home while Remus and Arthur went about the house explaining the protection spells that were going to put into place. This left Hermione and Fred alone in the sitting room.

The shared an awkward chuckle before Hermione tried to break the tension, "So, how did you get tricked into coming to collect me?"

Fred shrugged, "Volunteered. I was designated the official trunk levitator since I'm of age now. And, I like London."

"Oh really? Even the very unexciting suburbs?" Hermione motioned for him to follow her, "Would you like some tea? My father and I were just making some when you all flooed in."

"Yes, well sometimes the quiet can be nice," Fred nodded his head to the offer and trailed after the witch into the kitchen.

"I always thought you and George were very _opposed_ to peace and quiet," Hermione smirked as she handed over a mug of hot breakfast tea.

Fred playfully glared at her remark, "Why would you even think such a thing?"

* * *

Their laughter began to come a little more naturally as they chatted about London and the like. Fred asked her about her favorite places to visit and Hermione asked him about what spots in particular he was interested in seeing. But then the voices of the adults echoing above them brought the witch and wizard back their awkward fumbling states.

"Oh, almost bloody forgot about this," Fred fished out a carefully folded piece of parchment from his back pocket and handed it to Hermione, "Harry sent you this. Mum almost filched it from Sof; I still need to train that owl to be stealthier. She flew right through the front window and almost landed in the butter. Thankfully her clumsiness gave me enough of a distraction to grab the letter before anyone noticed."

"Why would you have to hide a letter from Harry?" Hermione took the note and unfolded it.

"Dumbledore and the Order don't want us telling Harry too much about what's going on… they've been regulating the mail a bit." Fred leaned forward a bit to look over the top of the page in Hermione's hands.

She smiled and turned around so that Fred could more easily read over her shoulder. But at Fred's words, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "Why would they be regulating the post?"

"Because they're afraid of Harry going out and playing lone hero. Apparently they think that he'll believe all the bloody insane things that the Death Eater are doing are his fault and they're afraid he going to go off and get himself killed or something," Fred leaned down slightly and whispered so that he wouldn't be overheard.

Hermione sighed, a bit frustrated by the information, "Well… I mean he might… Harry always feels guilt when others are hurt, even if his involvement is completely indirect at best. But he would never go looking for trouble like that; it always just seems to find him."

"And I doubt you will let him go into anything without thinking it through," Fred smirked at Hermione's huff of defensiveness.

"Are you trying to say I'm bossy?" Hermione shifted so that she could face the twin. She was a little surprised at how close in proximity they were to each other; a little gasp escaped her throat before she could stop it.

Fred offered her a bright smile, "Of course not. You're just very opinionated and you actually like to think things through. If it comes to the point where you have to assert yourself for us stubborn blokes to hear what you're saying… so be it."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the tall ginger, "That was just a very long-winded way of saying 'yes,' wasn't it?"

Fred placed his hand at the small of Hermione's back as he leaned toward her ear, "You said it, not me. And you do look rather cute when you're cross."

* * *

 _So... yea. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***I love, Love, LOVE **Reviews.**... need Reviews... cannot live without reviews... and reviews for last chapter were VERY sparse...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello there!_

 _Thank you to anyone who Followed, Favorited or Reviewed yesterday. MissesE, pianomouse, GInnyPotter6891 and CarmesiLight; thank you so much for the kind words. I'm so glad you all enjoyed last chapter!_

 _Let's see what happens next..._

* * *

Fred's POV

 _"...you do look rather cute when you're cross."_

Fred did not know what had possessed him to say it, but he was somewhat proud of himself for the comment. It's not like he ever had trouble speaking to girls, but Hermione was a bit different. She was best friends with Harry Potter _and_ his younger brother. And she was the most brilliant witch in the whole castle, which did intimidate him a little. But if he was going to get anywhere with these crazy feelings that pulled at his stomach, he was going to have to push those thoughts aside and just see Hermione as a smart, pretty girl… who seemed to blush when they got a little too close.

* * *

Fred laid in his bed staring at the ceiling going through the most recent ideas for the shop with his twin.

"What about a snackbox that makes you tongue tied?" George suggested as he paced the room slowly.

"You mean like if someone is trying to get information from you or if it's just someone you don't want to speak with…"

"You can chew on this and your tongue swells up so you don't have to deal with them." George finished the thought without hesitation.

Fred nodded, "Definitely interesting, but how would you take the antidote if your tongue is all swollen?"

"Hmm… good point…" George stopped pacing while he rethought his suggestion.

"What if your tongue became really long instead? You still wouldn't be able to speak, but you could stuff the antidote into your mouth still when you want it to go away," Fred's expression wavered as he tried to imagine the process.

"I don't know… It's beginning to sound a little too horrible to inflict on yourself. What if we just made it into a trick sweet; something you can slip an enemy or a good friend?"

Fred's face broke into a wicked smile, "Ah, now you're talking Georgie! And we'll put a time limit on it, so your tongue does return to normal eventually. But we should make it so the persons tongue continues growing until someone reverses the spell or the timer runs out."

George wore a matching grin as he walked over to the small desk that Sirius had put into the room for them, and began writing down their idea and the possible ingredients needed. He looked up suddenly when he heard a small knock at their door.

"Enter if you dare!" Fred shouted as George waved a disillusionment charm over the papers and products in the room.

The door squeaked open and Hermione hesitantly stepped into the room.

"Hey Granger; what can we help you with today?" George cheerily asked.

Hermione stood there clutching a giant tome to her chest and bounced nervously on the balls of her feet, "I… I was wondering… I needed some help with something and I was wondering if one of you would mind helping me?"

Fred sat up in his bed and looked Hermione over. She had been at Grimmauld Place a few days now; and though she had been a bit anxious the first time Mrs. Black had begun wailing at her, this display of nerves seemed much more serious, "Has something happened, Hermione?"

The witch shook her head and offered a small smile, "No, nothing like that. I just… I need help with a spell… a really complicated spell it seems. And since I'm not of age yet, I can't perform the charm myself. Would either of you be up for assisting me?"

"Yea, of course," Fred had agreed without even a second thought; and he caught his twin covertly smirking at him because of it. Hermione sighed and Fred saw her shoulders relax from their tight stance from when she entered the room.

George grabbed a book and strutted toward the door, "Well Freddie here is much more in tune with charms and the like. I will you in his capable hands, Granger." He bowed a bit flamboyantly and left the room still wearing a sideways smile.

Fred shook his head as he rolled his eyes, "Sorry about him. Anyway, what's this spell you're trying to do?" He stood and motioned for Hermione to sit down at the desk. It had been a little awkward the last few days; Fred had tried to spend some time with the brunette, but Ginny and Ron had occupied most of her time. He _had_ been a bit encouraged that Hermione always greeted him with a smile and her full attention. The witch had also made a point of sitting next to him at breakfast this morning and quietly asking about the progress the twins were making with the shop.

"It's fine. I think I'm finally getting used to George's antics," She laughed lightly as she took a seat and opened the large book to her marked page. "Well, I was in the library trying to research a spelled parchment. At first I just wanted to learn about the magic behind it… thought it would probably be of some use later on. But I realized that we could use it _now_ actually, with Harry, so I can't wait until we get back to Hogwarts; I need a way to work on it now."

Fred looked over Hermione's shoulder and peered at the intricate spell that she had found, "A linking spell?"

Hermione glanced at him in her peripheral and nodded, "I wanted to link two pieces of parchment or maybe two whole journals together; maybe we could have a way to speak with Harry without having to worry about the Order."

A mischievous smile began to creep across Fred's face, "My, my Miss Granger. That seems a bit out of character for you; blatantly disregarding a direct order from Dumbledore."

"Well, I'm not suggesting we tell him _everything_ that's been going on. Probably shouldn't mention _why_ I'm here… but I don't want Harry to feel alienated. He's felt like that for most of his life," Hermione ducked her head down and looked over the instruction for the spell.

Fred's smile turned down slightly, "Are you alright?" He knew that Hermione was worried about her friend, but there seemed to be something else underneath that too.

The witch offered a tight smile, "I'm fine… I just… just miss my parents. I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked this summer." Fred took a seat on George's bed, which was right next to the desk, as Hermione leaned back and twirled the chair to face him, "I really do enjoy spending time with you all, but I… I miss my family. I miss the simplicity of life outside the magical world occasionally. And I just miss the muggle world sometimes… sounds ridiculous I'm sure…"

Fred tried not to smile too brightly at the fact that Hermione felt comfortable enough to tell him such things. He plucked up some courage and wrapped one of her hands with his own, "It doesn't sound ridiculous. I'm sure all muggle-borns feel that way. You're kind of _thrown_ into this new world and expected to accept all the tradition and rules without much explanation. I was _raised_ in this world and I still don't understand all that nonsense."

A small laugh escaped Hermione's throat, "Thanks." A smile graced her face as warmth flooded her cheeks; Hermione pulled her hand back gently and turned back to the desk, "Um, well… the spell looks pretty complex. I was thinking we could start with some smaller objects to test with."

The twin felt his lips spread into his usual cheeky grin, "Sounds like a plan, Granger."

He really did enjoy watching her blush.

* * *

 _Eek! Did you all enjoy that as much as I enjoyed writing it? =D_

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 _***I love reviews, they are magical!  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello again!_ _So yea... sorry, this week's updates got kind of messed up. I work with little kids and got pretty sick this weekend. Hope this chapter and the next few make up for it!_

 _Thank yous to all the Followers and Favorite-ers these past few days. Especially: pianomouse, GinnyPotter6891, Binka Fudge, lilyflower49, MissesE, and CarmesiLight. You have no idea how much I appreciate your comments. =)_

* * *

Hermione's POV

"Hermione…" Ginny muffled her voice a bit so that they wouldn't be overheard by Mrs. Weasley as the two younger witches helped Molly with the lunch preparation. "What were you doing in Fred and George's room last night?"

Hermione's face flushed slightly and she flexed her hand before she remembered that she actually had a reason why she had been there, "Oh… Well, Fred is helping me with a rather complicated charm that I'm trying to investigate. And since I still have the trace on me, I can't really do the practical side of the research myself."

Ginny cocked her head slightly, mulling over the explanation. But she decided that it seemed legitimate, "What's the charm you're working on?"

"I don't want to jinx it. I'll tell you when we're closer to perfecting the spell." Ginny nodded her head and took the green beans to the table.

After lunch, Mrs. Weasley directed all the children to assist in cleaning up the dreary looking sitting room. Sirius had protested, claiming there was nothing that could be done to make the space more livable; which in turn had alerted his mother's portrait of what was going on. The painting then went into a very shrill tirade about filthy blood traitors and mudbloods touching her precious house.

Hermione was angry and embarrassed that she still reacted to that word; no matter how many times she told herself it didn't matter and that it wasn't worth being upset over. But even when a disturbed portrait said the word, her fingernails dug into her palms and her jaw clenched. Sirius apologized profusely for his deranged mother and huffed off to wrangle her heavy curtains closed again.

Ron, Ginny, Fred and George followed Mrs. Weasley into the sitting room, but Hermione remained in the hallway trying to quietly collect herself and suppress her emotions. She must have taken a few minutes too long, because Fred came back to the hall looking for her.

"What's taking so long, Granger? Trying to devise an escape from the dust bunnies?" Fred chuckled to himself before he fully observed the tight expression on the witch's face. "Hermione?"

Without thinking Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Fred's waist and buried her face in his chest. The redheaded wizard quickly returned the embrace, looping his arms carefully around the girl's shoulders.

Hermione took several deep breathes before she finally felt her shoulders relax. She pulled free of Fred's arms and smiled a little shyly, "Sorry. I just… I _know_ it's just a stupid portrait, and it's just a word..."

Fred held up his hand to stop Hermione from rambling further, " 'Mudblood' is an awful word and you're allowed to be effected by it. I don't mind being used for moral support either, so no worries." He offered her a warm, genuine smile and went to hold the door to the sitting room open for her.

Hermione noticed something in her stomach begin to flutter and pull.

* * *

A few days later, Hermione sat on the floor of the Black's library thumbing through another heavy tome trying to find more information about linking spells. Sirius had caught her earlier in the day hiding from Mrs. Weasley and her incessant need to clean the entire house. Hermione had covertly asked Harry's godfather some general questions and advice about the charm she was researching and tried to make him believe that it was something she had found during her preparations for O.W.L.s.

Hermione wasn't sure if Sirius completely believed her, but the older wizard had simply smiled and had not asked for any further details. He did suggest a few books for her to peruse through though.

The door creaked open behind her, and Hermione scrambled to tuck the book away before it was seen.

"Calm down Granger, it's just me," Fred laughed openly at the anxious expression on the witch's face.

"Good Lord, Fred… you scared me half to death. I thought it was your mother! She's probably furious that I'm not dusting something," Hermione covered her face nervously and glared at the twin who had taken a seat next to her on the floor.

Fred leaned back on the bookshelf so that he was facing the bushy brunette, "Lucky for us all, they're having a meeting tonight so Mum's busy making food and ordering Ginny and Ron around the kitchen."

Hermione's shoulders sagged with relief, "What about the others?"

He smirked a little at the witch's anxiety, "I think Sirius is upstairs feeding Buckbeak, George disappeared up into our room to work out the recipe for a new product, and I came to see if you've made any more progress on your project. Everyone is accounted for; no one left to sneak up on you. So let's have an update."

"Well, I did find a few more books to check. Sirius pointed them out to me earlier today."

"You've told Sirius what you're up to?" Fred's eyebrows got dangerously close to his hairline.

Hermione laughed at the twin's ridiculous expression, "Not exactly. I may have mentioned something about wanting to be prepared for my O.W.L.s when he asked what it was for. Which isn't a complete lie; I'm sure there is bound to be something advanced like this on that test."

Fred burst out laughing, "You little liar! Do you think he believed you?" Hermione blushed lightly at the almost proud expression on the twin's face.

"Well, I'm not really sure. But he didn't ask many questions, so I didn't have to explain anything else," Hermione tilted her head down and began reading again.

"Very good with loopholes, aren't you." Fred poked her gently in the arm and flashed her a dazzling smile when she met his gaze, "Remind me to ask you about some ideas I have about Owl orders, before the summer is through."

"Fred, I'm not going to help you smuggle forbidden items into Hogwarts," Hermione narrowed her eyes playfully at the redhead in front of her.

He crossed his arms casually, "I bet I can change your mind about that; or at least find a suitable loophole to help myself." Fred winked and he placed one of those warm smiles on his lips.

Hermione let her hair fall a bit over her face as she returned to her book. Those genuine smiles of his were wreaking havoc on her stomach again.

* * *

 _Slow and steady wins the race people. I hope you all can understand (and not hate me completely) when I tell you that this isn't going to be one of those fics where I put two characters together and then they're instantly in love._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***I love reviews, they are **magical**!  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello there!_ _So yea... sorry again about this week's updates getting messed up. Hope you all like this chapter and take it as an apology. =)  
_

 _Thank yous to everyone to Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter. siriusbarks, Lunne Lunnaris, adavi821, Bink Fudge, GinnyPotter6891, MissesE, CracoSly and lilyflower49; I love you all, you make writing this little story even better!_

* * *

Fred's POV

"Seriously, Mum? You want us to go out into Muggle London?" George asked trying to hide his shock at their mother's request.

"Yes, yes; why is that so surprising?" Mrs. Weasley continued to sort through the cupboards and writing down anything that she could think of that was needed.

"Well, seeing as you and Dad have essentially held us hostage in this house since the beginning of the summer 'for our protection'… it's a little difficult to imagine you letting us run amok in Muggle London," Fred tried not to laugh as he answered his mum.

"You won't be running amok; or at least you better not. We need groceries and there's a lovely little shop just three blocks down. Sirius can't go for obvious reasons, and I'm a bit too recognizable as well. But thankfully, you all should be perfectly safe; especially since it's a muggle shop. I've already asked Hermione if she would be comfortable going since she's the only one in the house who has any experience in the muggle world. So, you'll have a translator of sorts." Molly looked very proud of herself over the plan. She continued to poke through the kitchen and added to the list she was making, "And _both_ of you don't even need to go, if you won't want to; I'm sure just one of you will be enough. I just want someone of age to go with Hermione... if something goes awry and you need to apperate back here."

The twins looked at each other and had one of their almost telepathic conversations.

"I'm not going; what am I, an owl?" George smirked as he whispered harshly to his twin.

"Well I don't want to go either. If you go, Georgie, I can at least work on that new humbug sweet that we talked about," Fred loved that he and his brother knew each other so well that this whole exchange went off without a hitch. And Mrs. Weasley seemed completely convinced that her twin sons were trying to have a quiet conversation behind her back.

"Oh no, you don't! Fred, you can go to the store with Hermione. I've had enough with those horrible sweets of yours," Molly finished the list and handed it over to Fred.

He pretended to be upset by the whole discussion and complained until the door to the kitchen closed behind Mrs. Weasley.

George burst out laughing, "You _owe_ me, Freddie."

"Yea, yea. Come collect when you get yourself a girlfriend. I'll hold off Mum with a full body bind if I have to," Fred looked over the list and smiled.

"You do realize that you don't actually have a girlfriend either?"

Fred's voice kind of faltered, "Yea… well… I'm working on that, aren't I?"

* * *

Hermione's POV

The grocery store a little ways down from number twleve was actually very quant in Hermione's opinion. It seemed to be locally owned and operated and had very fresh produce. The witch grabbed two baskets and handed one over to Fred as she led the way through the maze of aisles and stalls.

The list that Mrs. Weasley had given them was fairly extensive, but Hermione was sure that the money that Sirius had given them would more than cover the volume of things that needed to be bought.

Hermione had been a bit curious at first as to how she had been paired with Fred for this trip, but she quickly decided that it didn't matter when she realized that she liked the idea of spending some time with the twin outside of Gimmauld Place.

They walked the aisles and collected the things that were on the list as they quietly talked about some of the stark differences between the magical and muggle communities.

"Well, how does your Mum usually get groceries?" Hermione asked as they looked through the cereal aisle and placed a box of the multigrain variety, that Molly had requested, in her own basket.

"She just sends an owl to the market with a list and some money, and they send back whatever she asked for plus change." Fred shrugged casually, "Appears more efficient timewise, using _our_ way. But this way does seem to be a little more fun since you get to find new things." The twin pulled out a sugary looking cereal with a little leprechaun on the front.

Hermione chuckled as she took the box and placed it back on the shelf, "And I'm guessing that getting things delievered to a magically hidden house is a bit difficult. "

* * *

When they were done with the aisles of prepackaged foods, Hermione walked over to the produce and began picking through the apples. Fred found one of the provided plastic bags and held it out for the witch to place her selected fruit into. She smiled and thanked him as she tied up the bag and moved on to the next section of fruit.

"What's your favorite fruit?" Hermione asked as he looked through the small containers of strawberries. The witch had decided that she wanted to get to know Fred better, and what better way the just asking each other questions and learning about each other's likes and dislikes.

"I'm pretty partial to bananas actually. Sometimes when George and I are too busy to sit down and eat, we just grab of those and some type of granola bar." Fred seemed to catch on quickly to the 'get to know you' game, "What is yours?"

Hermione smiled, "I love raspberries. My Mum makes an amazing raspberry chocolate tart. It's basically the only sweet I'm allowed to have at home."

"What?" Fred chuckled as he took in the witch's words. "Why can't you have sweets?"

"My parents are both dentists; that means that they work with teeth. And sugar is bad for your teeth, so when I was growing up I wasn't permitted to have many sweets," Hermione smiled at Fred's surprised expression.

Fred quickly collected himself and a sly smirk crossed his face, "I would definitely pay money to see what your expression was when you saw Honeydukes for the first time."

Hermione couldn't contain her laughter, "Oh, I was completely shocked. I wanted to try _everything_ , but every time I walk into that place, I feel absolutely guilty. It's ridiculous, I know; but it's the truth." Hermione felt a little heat fill her cheeks as she admitted her unnecessary remorse with embarrassment.

"What's your favorite sweet there?" Fred asked with curiosity.

"I'm actually quite partial to the sugar quills. Simple, but very satisfying," Hermione laughed at her logical approach to her answer. "What's yours?"

The wizard had to think hard about it. Honeydukes was one of his favorite places, and he _had_ tried almost everything there. "I guess if I had to pick one, it would have to be Fizzing Whizbees. I love how they make you float. I always loved flying and this was like flying without a broom stick; even though it was only a few inches off the ground."

They shared a genuine smile as Hermione placed the baskets by the register to check out. She decided that the trip had been very successful; they got everything on the list with no difficulty at all.

And, she and Fred had gotten to know each other a little better.

* * *

 _Just a little fluff about getting to know each other. Hope you all liked the little banter between the twins, I love writing them; and the little bit where Hermione is becoming more comfortable with the idea of getting closer to Fred._

 _Please let me know what you all think. Another chapter tomorrow I hope._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***I REALLY love reviews...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey all!_

 _Thanks to all who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed yesterday. MissesE, pianomouse and guest- you guys rock my socks. I'm lucky to have you all as reviewers._

 _And as promised..._

* * *

Fred's POV

"No, really Hermione; they'd be useful, I swear," Fred exclaimed. He was lying down on the floor of the newly cleaned sitting room next to Hermione as she sat reading another heavy book about linking spells. They had gotten the charm to work with a thimble; which had mirrored the movements of the other linked thimble easily. They had also had some luck linking two pages from the same book together. This had led to the ability to exchange messages over any distance, but had been limited due to the fact that you could only rearrange the words and letters already on the pages; and that was very time consuming. Finding a way to write and receive independent writing still seemed to be a challenge.

He saw Hermione's lips twitch up slightly, "And what will you be using these 'extendable ears' for, Fred?"

Fred smirked. He propped himself up on an elbow so that he could get a clear look at the witch's face when he answered, "To eavesdrop on the Order meetings, of course. But I'm sure you already figured that out with that brilliant brain of yours."

The two had been spending a lot more time together over the last week. Fred had been pleasantly surprised by the fact that Ron appeared perfectly fine with the situation; though Ginny seemed to be acting a bit funny whenever she found them seated so close together.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the excessive compliment, "You _know_ that's not a good idea."

"How else will we find out things? How will we discover why they're refusing to let anyone talk to Harry?" Fred knew that this comment would rile her, but he wanted Hermione to be on his side about this.

"Oh, don't even get me _started_ … fine. I'll help you test the extendable ears." She relented and offered the wizard a small smile, "But don't get a big head about this. I'm only helping you with this because I don't agree with what they're doing to Harry. I still will not help you smuggle your products into Hogwarts."

"You just wait, Granger. I'll find that loophole. I'm a very persistent man," A dazzling smile crossed Fred's face as he laid back down on the floor and just enjoyed being in Hermione's company.

* * *

Fred, George and Hermione had gone through seven different charms and designs for the extendable ears before they were all happy with the appearance and the sound quality of the product. Fred found that he quite enjoyed working with the talented witch, thought that was hardly a surprise. And George found it extremely funny how the two seemed to skillfully dance around the subject of feelings; he also enjoyed teasing his twin mercilessly for liking the younger witch whenever no one else was around.

But what they all enjoyed even more was the fact that they finally had a perfectly working prototype for the extendable ears.

"You sure you want to test them now? We've only just got them working properly. What if your Mum finds them and throws them in the fire?" Hermione whispered harshly as George and Ron threaded the ears under the kitchen door and crept back up the stairs to where Fred, Hermione and Ginny were waiting with the receiving end of the ears.

"It will be fine Hermione, I promise," Fred gently touched her elbow and offered her one of his real smiles. He found that the witch in front of him was the only one who could coax out that genuine grin. Fred was kind of embarrassed by the idea at first, but he had quickly grown to enjoy the more reserved expression he shared with her.

Hermione sighed heavily, and placed a reluctant smile on her face as they all leaned in to hear the meeting.

* * *

No.

This just couldn't be...

They couldn't possibly be right about this...

It had to be wrong...

Fred exchanged a look with his twin, who wore a similar expression of concern and doubt. He then turned to Hermione who, despite the few tears streaking down her cheek and the sad expression behind her eyes he was sure only he would notice, looked _angry_ above all else.

"Hermione?" Fred whispered, trying to call her attention as he absentmindedly brushed away one of her tears with his thumb.

His voice seemed to bring Hermione back. Her expression softened a bit as she focused on his amber brown eyes, "I need to talk to Harry. We need to get that charm working as soon as possible."

Fred nodded his head, "Of course. I'll explain to George what we're doing and we'll get working on it immediately."

He watched Hermione slip into her working mode; where she organized people and things like she was a general of an army, "Ginny, you and Ron go back to our room. We need to talk about what we're going to say to Harry when we can finally talk to him. We need to have some kind of explanation without giving too much away and alarming him."

Ginny nodded her head as she grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him off to the room that she and Hermione shared at Grimmauld Place.

Hermione then turned to George, "You need to collect the extendable ears and hide them. We might need them for later and we can't let anyone know what you two have invented just yet."

Fred watched his twin nod his head and retreat down stairs quietly to retrieve the flesh colored tubing. He was distracted by watching George over the railing, so Fred was a little blindsided when Hermione threw her arms around his neck and he heard her begin to cry quietly.

He quickly wrapped his arms around the witch and pulled her close to his chest, "It's alright Hermione."

"No, it's not. My best friend might have some kind of mind connection to Vol… Vol…," Hermione pulled her head back slightly so that she and Fred were facing each other. She had stopped crying and now looked utterly annoyed at herself for not being able to say the name out loud. Hermione's hands were still clutched in angry fists as they lay against Fred's chest.

"Well, if anyone can figure out a way around something like that, it's you. That's how I know it will be alright," Fred saw a hint of a smile pull at the edge of Hermione's lips.

The witch rose up onto her toes and hugged the Weasley twin again.

"What, no directions for me? Everyone else got their marching orders, but I'm just standing here," Fred chuckled and tried to make light of the situation.

Hermione's laughter stuck in her throat, "Well, you did say I could use you for moral support whenever I needed it."

Fred couldn't keep the smile from crossing his face as he hugged her a little tighter, "Yea… alright, Granger."

* * *

 _Hope you all liked! I personally loved 'working mode' Hermione; she is kind of the brains of the operation after all. I really wanted Fred to be her comfort while still being supportive of her... so hope that came across._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***You can never have too many Reviews...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	10. Chapter 10

_Why, hello! Hope everyone is having a great day today._

 _Thanks to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed. Adavi821, forwverkake, GinnyPotter6891, pianomouse, and MissesE; all of you are extra amazing. Love you all!_

 _Here we go..._

* * *

Hermione's POV 

There was a slight shift in Hermione's relationship with Fred after the night with the extendable ears. He always sat down next to her at meals and there always seemed to be a seat waiting beside him when they would all gather in the sitting room for games or meetings.

It was a small change, nothing that would have been obvious to outside eyes. But all of Fred's siblings seemed to have confirmation that something was going on between them, even though Hermione herself wasn't completely sure what it could be defined as.

* * *

Funny enough, Hermione found that she and Ron had become better friends over the last few weeks. They argued less, seemed to work more cohesively together and simply got along better than they had since their second year.

"How's the parchment coming, Hermione?" Ron asked as he sat on the floor of her and Ginny's room.

Hermione groaned, "Still not working completely. I think we need to try sending Harry another owl, just so he knows we're not ignoring him," Hermione sighed as she continued to reread the spell book in front of her. She had been rereading all the books about linking charms for two solid days now.

Ron held out a carefully folded slip of parchment, "Already taken care of. Only problem now is how to get a hold of the owl."

"What did you write?" The witch took the paper and examined the wax seal; it was the symbol of the House of Black. "Does Sirius know that you used his crest?"

"Nope. Ginny suggested we use it. You know, in case someone catches us using the owl… _maybe_ they would buy the story that we were sending something for Sirius and the Order." Ron chuckled lightly, "We wrote him a… haykoo... I think that's what it was called? Something Ginny found out about in the library here."

"You and Ginny wrote Harry a haiku poem?" Hermione tried to contain her smirk.

"Yea! It's about Kreacher. We thought it would be sneaky way of telling him where we are and it's sort of our way of preparing him for that horrible little house elf."

"Ron, he's not _horrible_. He was just around dark wizards for far too long," Hermione glared at her friend.

"Whatever you say 'Mione."

The witch glanced at the note again, "Wait how are we going to send it? And what if Sirius is the one to catch us?"

"That's where _you_ come in Hermione," Ginny strolled into the room and bounced down onto her bed opposite Ron and Hermione.

Hermione cinched her eyebrows together, "What does that mean?"

Ginny flashed an almost evil smile, "We need you to set up a diversion. You're having trouble with the linking spell still, so we were thinking maybe you could ask Sirius for help. Out of all the adults in the Order, he's the only one who would be willing to help us with something like this. So, you can get assistance _and_ you can distract him while we use an owl."

"Well, I guess that would work. Who will be diverting your Mum's attention?" Hermione closed a finger in her book to mark the page.

"Me probably," Ginny shrugged. "I'm sure I can come up with something to spark her interest."

"You should see what Mum thinks about Hermione and Fred."

"Ronald!" Hermione blushed horribly as she swung the heavy book at her best friend.

"You know Ron, that is not a bad idea at all," the menacing grin was across Ginny's face again.

Hermione grabbed one of her pillows from the bed and threw it toward the redheaded witch, "Don't you dare. It's strange enough talking about it with the two of you. I cannot even imagine someone speaking to your _mother_ about it!"

Ron and Ginny burst out laughing as Hermione's face turned an even deeper crimson.

"Well, fine then. Let's _practice_ talking about it, so you're more comfortable then," Ginny offered as she maneuvered to avoid another hurled pillow.

Hermione forgot her book and covered her face with her hands and groaned loudly at the precarious witch. Ron chuckled to himself and patted his friend on the shoulder, "I think that's my cue to leave. _Really_ don't need to hear the details between you and my brother. Good luck with the girl talk, 'Mione."

Ginny waved at her brother as he left the room, "You know, I think Ron's gotten more tolerable since you two decided to just be friends."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but laughed at the ridiculous comment, "I think it's more like, we don't intimidate each other anymore so it's much more comfortable to be around one another."

"Could be, but Ron's not the one I want to talk about." Ginny crossed the small room and sat directly in front of Hermione, "Now I'm doing this for your own good; because if this thing with Fred continues, everyone in the tower is going to ask you questions about it. So you'll need to get over this embarrassment sooner rather than later."

Hermione shot her only close female friends a doubtful look, "And…"

" _And_ , I want to know what's going on between you and my brother."

Despite the fact that Hermione was really uncomfortable with the upfront nature that Ginny usually had; the younger witch was right. Hermione was going to need to figure all this out before the end of the summer or suffer while she tried to understand it while they were back to Hogwarts where even more people would be watching.

Hermione sighed heavily, "All right, but 'I don't know' is probably going to be a _very_ overused answer."

"That's fine. It will give you a few things you need to sort out before we head back to school."

* * *

 _Woohoo! I had some fun writing this; let me know if you had fun reading it too!_

 _I'm really feeling that my Ron would be ok with this relationship. Nothing really got started with him and Hermione, and I'm hoping that he learned from the blow up at the Yule Ball. I'd like to think he's enjoying his new friendship with Hermione and getting to know her in a different way. So he will probably be uncomfortable with the idea of Hermione dating Fred, but I don't think it's going to cause a fit or anything._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are really quite wonderful...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	11. Chapter 11

__I really cannot thank all of you Followers, Favoriters and Reviewers enough._ pianomouse, whatweareafraidof, Prinrue, ThatOneGirlNoOneNotices, GinnyPotter 6891 and MissesE; thank you so much for leaving your kind words and comments.  
_

 _Please enjoy!  
_

* * *

Hermione's POV

The discussion with Ginny had been enlightening as well as a bit terrifying for Hermione. She had come to terms with the fact that she liked Fred very much, soon after they had returned from their grocery shopping trip. What wasn't to like? Fred was intelligent, handsome, and was very caring toward her. Yes, he and George did seem to get into quite a bit of trouble at times; but it wasn't as if she had never broken any rules before…

Hermione was still grappling with the idea of the older Weasley _fancying her_ though. She still saw herself as that awkward little teenager with bushy hair. Ginny had tried to assure Hermione that she wasn't; that she had mostly grown out of the stiff wiseacre persona and that her hair was not an issue anymore. The younger witch may have even used phrases like "you're gorgeous Hermione, stop being a bloody moron." But sometimes the perspective you have of yourself is very difficult to change.

"Fine, Hermione. You don't have to believe me on any of that. But you better believe that Fred fancies you. Now I promise that I _will_ use my bat-bogey hex on him if he tries anything out of line… but only if you promise to not get into your own dam way." Ginny loved Hermione very much but she knew that the brunette witch could talk herself out of anything if she scrutinized it long enough, "Relationships are supposed to be fun, _especially_ in the beginning. Don't start overthinking things until you've at least been dating for a while, alright?"

Hermione sighed heavily and tried to take in everything Ginny said; she did make many good points after all. She nodded her head, "Yes; alright. But I feel like you need to take some of your own advice."

Ginny looked at her friend with a scrunched up confusion on her face, "What are you on about?"

"I mean… you're not that little star stuck girl anymore... It is _alright_ to still like Harry; just try to be yourself around him and stop letting _yourself_ get in the way. You're actually quite charming once people get to know you," Hermione smiled sincerely at the redhead and tried to look encouraging.

"And how do you advise I do that?" Ginny huffed and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"Well, he's a bit clueless when it comes to girls and I don't think you should just wait around patiently for him to smarten up. Maybe date a bit? Become more comfortable with yourself and the whole idea of dating in general. Allow a bit more of your personality to show through so he can get to know you and… just see what happens," Hermione was glad to see a little bit of a smile pull at the edge of the younger witch's mouth. She hoped it was sound advice; but she didn't have much experience with relationships herself.

Ginny nodded her head, "It's a deal. You don't get in your own way; I'll try to not get into my own either."

* * *

Fred's POV

The next day, Fred was hurrying down the stairs with a small smile on his face, when a little redhead witch grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him into her empty room.

Ginny shut the door with a sharp snap and turned around to face him. She wore an expression of concern and irritation that actually made Fred fear for his life. His happy expression immediately fell as George's comment about size being no guarantee of power echoed through his mind.

"Can I help you with something, Ginevra?" Fred plastered a wide grin on his face trying to mask his anxiety.

The younger witch crossed her arms over her chest and continued her deadly stare.

Fred cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Is something wrong?"

Ginny tapped her fingers against her arm, "You _actually_ fancy Hermione, right? It's not some game to you or just a summer thing while we're all stuck here?"

"I've never really been the type to play with a person's emotions," he relaxed a little as Ginny deemed his answer acceptable and uncrossed her arms.

"Good, because I sort of vouched for you but then realized that I hadn't actually discuss anything with you... You better not hurt her; because if you do, you'll have me to deal with and probably Harry too. Just keep that in mind," the redheaded witch had calmed down slightly, but her eyes were still intense as she spoke.

Fred couldn't help smirking, "Does she know you're talk to me about this?"

Ginny snorted, "Please… I'd probably be in a full body bind if she knew we were speaking like this."

"Which is why I'm confused why your standing there threatening me, when we both know that Hermione is very capable of defending herself."

"Yes, well Hermione is a bit of a novice when it comes to relationships… And I'm nosy; you know that," a smile crept across Ginny's face.

Fred raised his right hand and cleared his throat, "I solemnly swear that I am not playing with Hermione. George seems to think I'd be a fairly lucky bloke if I could convince her to go out with me; and I do tend to agree with that man on a majority of things."

A flash of rage took over Ginny's face, "Well then, ask her out already, you idiot!"

"Oh, I will; don't get your nickers in a bunch, Gin." The twin felt his reserved smile pull at his mouth again, " But I need to go tell Hermione the good news first."

* * *

 _Wanted them to sort out some things, and Ginny decided to help. =) Hope you all liked it._

 _I just wanted to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for the love all my reviewers have given this story. I really hope I have addressed any confusions or questions that you wonderful people bring up. And just a friendly reminder; this is a fanfiction. I appreciate you at least trying out my story, but i_ _f you dislike my pairing, premise or interpretation... it's ok._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are the best way to let me know what you all think.  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	12. Chapter 12

_Happy Weekend to all!_

 _Thank you's all around, people! Thank yous to all you lovely Followers (there are 99 of you now!), Favorite-ers and Reviewers! GinnyPotter6891, pianomouse, lilyflower49, and MissesE; I love you all!_

* * *

Fred POV

Fred hurried from Ginny's room before she changed her mind about letting him leave. He galloped down the stairs and into the kitchen to find Hermione asleep while seated at the long table; head propped up by her long fingers and three of the thick books Sirius had given her sprawled out on the smooth wooden surface.

He chuckled to himself as he quietly sat down beside Hermione, straddling the bench.

She looked peaceful sitting there with her eyes closed and her breathing so deep and even; it was almost a shame to wake her.

Fred tucked a stray piece of her wildly curly hair behind her ear and lightly settled his hand on her shoulder, "Hermione? Hermione, wake up."

Her eyes fluttered a little before finally opening and focusing on Fred. Hermione smiled embarrassingly as she saw who had woken her, "Hi." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around the empty kitchen, "What time is it?"

"Quarter to seven. Have you been down here all night?" Fred poked her side a little to emphasize his teasing words.

He was a bit put off when she frowned and turned back to one of the tomes, "No. I couldn't sleep. Tossed a turned for a few hours, but then I got up and began looking through the spells again. Ginny threw a pillow at me when my lumos charm woke her up so I came down here an hour or so ago."

Fred furrowed his brow; he didn't like that Hermione was letting this affect her sleeping. He began to close her books and collected them into one of his arms, "Come on," he gently grabbed her arm with his free hand and pulled her away from the table, "I have some good news to tell you. And, I think I'm going to keep these books until you've taken a nap or something."

* * *

Hermione protested all the way up to the twin's room, but her feet followed the tall wizard automatically. When they entered the room, it was also vacant, "Where's George?"

"He's out getting some needed items for your linking spell," Fred closed the door behind them and tucked Hermione's books into the closet before putting a disillusionment charm over them. He turned and found the witch carefully watching him with a confused expression across her face. Fred smiled brightly, "We may have found a way to make it work."

The confusion on Hermione's face instantly dropped away and was replaced with a smile that rivaled his own, "Really? You and George figured it out?"

Fred nodded enthusiastically, "It's amazing what fresh eyes can bring to a project. George woke up this morning with this brilliant theory and we came up with an idea, that I'm so certain of, I'd bet money on it."

"Well, what was the idea? How will we get the parchment to work?" Hermione took an anxious step forward and waited for the twin to explain.

"Turns out, you and I were too focused on exactly replicating Dumbledore's enchanted paper. We still haven't figured out how that parchment works, but George suggested that we try the linking spell on something other than the paper… I was thinking like a quill or a muggle pen," Fred laughed at the look of realization and excitement that overtook the witch in front of him.

"That's brilliant! We were able to enchant those thimbles to mirror each other exactly. If we can link a pair of pens together, they can act as a polygraph!"

"What's a polygraph?" it was Fred's turn to look confused.

Hermione's smile grew even boarder, "Sorry, muggle thing. It was an early nineteenth century American invention that was used to copy handwritten letters. It was essentially two pens joined together. The writer would place a sheet of paper beneath both pens and then use one side to write his letter while the other side copied it exactly."

"Oh, so the idea is not as original as I had hoped," Fred chuckled.

"No, but it's still wonderful. It's a way of making the same _type_ of communication that Dumbledore used but with a simpler spell. It's perfect!" Fred had no idea how it was possible, but Hermione seemed to beam even brighter as she finished her explanation.

"So what's my reward for figuring it out?"

Hermione smirked as she crossed her arms, "I thought this was George's revelation?"

"George's idea to enchant something other than the paper, but I was the one who suggested a quill or a pen," Fred puffed out his chest, a bit proud of himself for suggesting a muggle item as well.

The witch rolled her eyes but continued to smile, "What would you like as a reward then, Mr. Weasley?"

This could be his chance... He actually felt nervous.

Fred hadn't counted on that. He had never been nervous like this with any other girl before. He didn't have _loads_ of experience with asking witches out, but he had done so a few times at least… so why was he so uneasy now?

"Let me take you out for coffee."

"What?" Hermione's eyes widened a little in surprise.

Fred cleared his throat, "I'd like to take you for coffee; maybe next time we get sent out for groceries or something. That will be my reward," he felt his lips curl upward into one of those genuine smiles that he only seemed to share with the witch in front of him, "Agree to go to coffee with me."

"Are you… are you asking me on… on a date?"

"Um, yes. I guess I am."

He held his breath as Hermione took her time answering. It seemed to be having trouble finding the correct words that she wanted to use. The witch wrung her hands and her gaze fell to the floor before she finally spoke, "Oh… I…" Hermione spared a tiny smile before she quickly answered, "Yes. That sounds lovely."

* * *

 _Eek! So yea... that just happened. Guess we'll have to see what comes next. =D_

 _And I've been having lots of creative thoughts on this story... it might go on for a while if I can keep my muse going._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are some of my favorite things...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	13. Chapter 13

_Hola! Hope everyone is having a wonderful day._

 _I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to to anyone who has followed this story and is still keeping up with it. This little fic has now reached 100 followers, EEK! Also needed to thank all the Favortie-ers and Reviewers. MissesE, lilyflower49, and Ginny Potter6891; I love you all so much!_

 _And GinnyPotter: a little longer chapter just for you! Next one maybe even a little more since you asked so nicely and reviewed so quickly._

* * *

Hermione's POV

They had gotten the linking spell to work!

It hadn't been difficult at all actually; Fred had the muggle fountain pens linked on his first attempt at the charm. He even spelled them so that the ink cartridges would automatically refill. The ink didn't disappear and reform into other words as Dumbledore's paper did, but it worked just as well as long as you had enough parchment. George sneakily asked Sirius for the use of an owl to write a 'very fit bird' he had supposedly been trying to date since the end of last year… And Harry now had one of the PolyPens while Hermione and Ron shared its twin.

They had told Harry about the fact that the Order was paranoid about spies and information getting leaked; and that was the reason Hermione and Ron used to not divulge any of the concerns that they had overheard during the last Order meeting. Hermione and Ron did however, make sure to write him every few hours to make sure he still felt connected to the wizarding world. They discussed some of the articles in the Daily Prophet, of course glossing over the jabs at Harry whenever he asked about them.

But Hermione could tell that Harry was becoming restless, "We need to ask the Order if Harry can come here soon. I'm not sure how much more of his Aunt and Uncle he can survive."

"Yea, alright. But you know they're just going to say 'whenever Dumbledore believes it's safe enough.' No one will ever give us a _real_ answer," Ron sighed and noticed that the PolyPen, as Fred and Hermione had dubbed it, began to move of its own accord.

' _Anything new in the Prophet today?'_ the pen wrote out in Harry's scratchy handwriting.

Ron glanced at Hermione for an answer.

"Nothing really worth telling him. There was another random attack in muggle London, though they refuse to acknowledge that it was Death Eaters. They're just mentioned here as _extremists_ ," Hermione threw the paper into the trash bin and looked over Ron's shoulder as he wrote.

' _Nothing interesting. Just another attack and them still denying that it was Death Eaters.'_

Ron let go of the PolyPen as soon as he was finished writing. The pen stayed upright and waited patiently for Harry to use the connected pen to reply.

' _Merlin, I think I'm going to die of boredom. Is there really nothing new you can tell me? I've gotten to the point where I would even be fine with horrible gossip just to occupy my brain a bit.'_

"Well, I could go grab Ginny. She might have an idea of something silly but entertaining to tell him…" Hermione looked around her room trying to remember what Ginny had said she would be up to today. She was too distracted to notice that Ron was already writing Harry back, "What are you writing? Ronald?!"

' _Hermione and Fred fancy each other. But something happened a few days ago and now Fred can't seem to speak to her anymore and Hermione can't seem to look him in the eye.'_

Hermione had pulled on the wizard's arm loo late. Ron sat back in the chair and stared at the pen until it started writing independently again. He smirked at the witch as she turned red and glared daggers at him.

"He asked for gossip 'Mione. And you can't deny that it will distract him, at least for a little while."

The witch crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes, "I could hex you _very_ easily, Ronald Weasley."

"I realize, but I'm hoping you won't since this is our best friend," Ron gestured toward the pen that had quickly become a disembodied extension of Harry.

Hermione said nothing further, but continued to glare at the redheaded wizard.

' _Hermione- what happened?'_

Ron turned in his chair to face the angry witch, "Care to answer him?"

She huffed a huge sigh and grabbed the pen, "I really dislike you right now Ron."

"That's fine. It's for Harry. And you'll forgive me anyway; you're a very forgiving person."

"You seem to forget that I kept a person trapped in a jar for several months…" Hermione smirked as she saw Ron noticeably blanch at the reminder of Rita Skeeter's recent captivity.

' _Fred asked me out to coffee, and I think the anticipation is making me so anxious I'm an utter mess around him. And we have no idea the next time we'll be allowed into Muggle London anyway, so the issue is just hanging over our heads at the moment.'_

"Really? That's the reason you can't even look at my brother without turning into a tomato," Ron asked completely bewildered.

"Yes Ron, I'm nervous. It's not like I have a lot of experience with all this," Hermione rolled her eyes and noticed that the pen was already moving again.

' _So do something else for your date! Get it over with so it stops affecting you."_

"You know, Harry has a decent point," Ron still looked a little wary as he spoke.

Hermione was actually impressed by the suggestion though, "That _is_ relatively logical."

* * *

Fred's POV

Fred seriously considered banging his head against the wall.

"Why didn't you just wait until we got back to Hogwarts to ask her out? You could have avoided the last few days of awkwardness entirely if you had just listened to me and waited," George was busying himself over a boiling cauldron as he spoke to his twin.

"You never suggested that I wait until we were back at school…"

George looked up from his work and gazed at Fred, "Didn't I?"

Fred was now leaning his back onto the wall and glaring, "No. You didn't."

"Oh… well sorry about that mate. I meant to say something. What possessed you to ask her out so soon anyway?"

"The opportunity arose? She looked particularly gorgeous after I told her we figured out a way for the linking spell to work? I wanted to? Take your pick Georgie…" Fred closed his eyes and tried not to think about the clumsy interactions that he and Hermione had fallen into again.

It was like it had been at the beginning of the summer all over again; in all honesty, it was actually worse. The moments of comfortable coexistence were gone now that the expectation of a 'date' hung in the air. Fred cursed himself every time he walked into a room and Hermione's face flushed as she averted her eyes and she busied herself with talking to Ginny or Ron; whoever was closer in proximity.

Fred had to admit he hadn't been much better. He seemed to forget how to form words whenever he saw her. And he would excuse himself at random times just to get away from the uncomfortable tension.

"So what are you going to do now, Freddie?" George asked as he turned his full attention to his twin.

Fred rubbed his forehead in an exhausted fashion and shook his head, "I've no bloody idea. How the hell did this turn to utter shite even before anything actually happened?"

A quite knock at their door silenced Fred and George immediately.

Though it wasn't terribly late yet, the adults had already turned in for the night and all the children had been sent to bed.

Fred walked the five strides it took to reach the other side of the room and opened the door.

"Her… Hermione?"

"Hi. I was… I was wondering if we could talk." She shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

Fred swallowed a little thickly, "Um, yea… yes… of course." He pulled open the door and gestured for her to come inside, but the witch smiled shyly and shook her head.

"No. I was thinking we could go talk somewhere else."

Fred noticed that Hermione was holding two of the knit blankets that his mother had placed in the sitting room after it had been cleaned out. "And where would we be going, Miss Granger?" he was relieved to hear his playful tone back in place, and the smile that tugged at Hermione's lips at his words made him grin as well.

"You'll see, Mr. Weasley."

* * *

 _A little stumble here and there, but I'm sure they're figure it all out._ _And yes, I had actually thought of a kiss at first too; but I thought Fred would be more observant and would realize that it was too soon for something like that in Hermione's eyes... even if it was in a joking manner._

 _What did you all think of the PolyPen idea? I had the idea in the back of my head for a while and I thought it was cool, but I'm totally bias of course..._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are THE BEST.  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	14. Chapter 14

_Hey there!_

 _So yea, still can't believe all the love you guys are giving to this little Fic. Thank you SO much to all the Followers, Favorite-ers and Reviewers. Ms. Jinxsy, lilyflower49, Juxiana, GinnyPotter6891, and MissesE; couldn't keep chugging forward without you guys!_

 _And as promised a little longer chapter... but please understand that I don't purposefully do short chapters, they just kind of find a natural ending. And if they are a bit shorter, I can update more frequently and don't feel as bogged down.  
_

* * *

Hermione's POV

Hermione was a little unsure of herself, and that was a very strange feeling. The whole summer had been a trial of firsts for her. First time she had been interested in the same boy who was interested in her; first time she had been comfortable with the idea of possibly dating said boy… first time she had become a bumbling idiot around that very boy….

She had never seen herself as the type of person who would be affected so much by another person.

Hermione had always seen herself as strong, independent and the person that others looked to for answers and support. That was her role a lot of the time with Harry and Ron; and she had always loved that position. It had made her feel needed and important... except for that troll... and she had been over-the-moon when that role had developed into such a strongly bonded friendship with the two boys.

But she had to admit, that sometimes it was a very lonely role. To be the one always required to have the information and develop a plan was exhausting at times.

Hermione couldn't help but smile to herself as she led the tall redhead down to the first floor and turned down the dark hallway toward the back of the old townhouse.

Fred made her feel different.

Yes, she was still planning things obviously, but Hermione didn't feel like it was expected of her. Fred was able to keep up with her mind very easily and he had proven to be a wonderful collaborator. She also found that she was beginning to seek his opinion when she became stumped on something. And even though Hermione was still reeling from the idea of needing someone to comfort her, Fred had provided that too.

They walked through two conjoined rooms; one that must have been the butler's pantry, and a small glass enclosed room that was probably a beautiful breakfast room before it had been long forgotten.

The witch came to an abrupt halt right in front of the grimy French doors and turned around to face Fred. He'd been following close behind and had been given so little warning of her stop, that they were now mere inches apart. A surprised huff of air escaped Hermione's lungs as she met the wizard's warm gaze, "Um, sorry… we have to look for the key. Sirius said it would be on a wall hook in the butler's pantry."

Fred stepped aside so that Hermione could backtrack into the room they had just exited. She found the mentioned keys on a little ornate bronze hook, right next to the door frame.

"Huh, sometimes it amazes me how much Sirius remembers about this house," Hermione mumbled to herself as she walked back to the locked glass doors.

"It could just be the fact that his mum never changed anything," Fred offered.

The witch nodded her head as she fumbled with the old key, "That's probably true as well. But with all his claims of how much he hated this house and how much he wished he could forget it; he seems to remember an awful lot about it…"

Fred wore a reluctant smile, "Yea, but we should probably give the poor man a break. He _is_ locked away in here… even more so than we all are."

"Right again, unfortunately." The lock fell out of place and Hermione pushed the doors open with a very load creak.

"Merlin, woman. Trying to alert the whole house?" Fred chuckled as he waved his wand over the doors and muttered a silencing spell.

Hermione blushed slightly as she looked around the small veranda in front of them. It wasn't much; and that was being generous. There was a small cushioned bench and two matching chairs circled around a low glass table, but every piece showed signs of rust, age and had ripped or exposed seams. The planters around the edge of the outdoor living area were all empty or contained long dead, brittle vines.

The whole scene was a little disheartening. Hermione reached for her wand, but remembered that it was packed away in her trunk so that she wouldn't be tempted to use it while still underage, "I'm so sorry Fred, but would you mind clearing away a bit of the dirt and grim? I keep forgetting I how useless I am during the summer."

"Really? You call helping to invent an undetectable communication device useless?" Fred wore a look of pure shock, but Hermione saw the laughter in his eyes as he gently poked her arm with his wand. He made quick work of the area; using some of the spells he saw his mum using for the interior of the house, he was able to clear away the dirt and somewhat repair the damage to the seats. He bowed slightly and motioned toward the bench, "shall we?"

Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes as she sat down on the sofa with one leg tucked under her and one leg swinging freely over the edge; she wanted to be able to face Fred. He sat down and faced her as well, but had to keep both of his long legs stretched out in front of him.

"Not too bad of a spot, Hermione. We are probably the first people to sit out here in about a decade though."

"Well, it needed people then. I bet it was beautiful once… Maybe we can fix it up a bit so Sirius can come out here and not feel so trapped?" Hermione mused as she looked around and imagined what the place looked like when the house was new.

Fred agreed, "We'll have to work together again. I have no eye for design, but I can defiantly play the wand monkey if need be." A wide, Cheshire grin was in place as he looked at Hermione.

"Don't you dare give me that; you know you're more than a wand monkey," Hermione giggled as she tossed the spare blanket at him.

The redheaded wizard caught it easily, "Whatever you say, ringmaster."

They both dissolved into peals of laughter.

* * *

They sat there for hours, just talking.

They went back and expanded on the conversation of favorite things that had begun on their grocery shopping trip. The excited yet easygoing feeling came back to their interactions and they were soon talking and bantering like they had known each other their whole lives.

"What are you planning on doing after this year? Is the joke shop a real possibility?" Hermione's voice was laced with genuine interest and even a little eagerness.

Fred grinned wildly as he heard the underlying tone in her voice, "I thought you didn't approve of the joke shop?"

"I've never, _ever_ said anything of the sort" Hermione reached out and playfully slapped Fred's arm; he caught her hand easily before she actually smacked him. "I think the shop is a brilliant idea, and you and George will do amazingly. I just don't want all your products interrupting my studying," she smiled and felt her face flush.

But Hermione wasn't sure if she was embarrassed by her confession or the fact that Fred was still holding her hand.

One of those shy, genuine smiles pulled at Fred's lips, "You really think it will be a success?"

Hermione wondered if he realized that he was rubbing small circles into the back of her hand.

She found herself mirroring his grin, "Of course! You and George have a knack for pranks and you're both so creative. As long as you can navigate the business side of things, I think it will be relatively easy for you both."

"Thanks, Hermione."

"Why are you thanking me?" Hermione snorted; she covered her face with her free hand, completely mortified by the sound.

Fred smiled but didn't laugh at her embarrassment, "It's just nice to have someone believe in us. It's difficult sometimes… not having the family support us. Mum thinks the idea is utter lunacy, Percy's completely against it of course, some of the others think it's just a ridiculous idea all around…"

"Well, you and George will just have to prove them all wrong." Hermione huffed a little in annoyance at the Weasleys' lack of faith in the twins.

"This in turn would prove you right, of course... Ah, I see... That must be the reason you're ok with the shop... You just want to be right!" Fred's gentle smile morphed into an evil grin.

"I would… that's not… how dare you!" Hermione attempted to be mad at the accusing comment, but she found that she was unable to muster even a glare to throw at the wizard across from her. She tried to swipe her free hand at his head, but again it was caught before even making contact with the snickering boy.

Hermione sighed in defeat, "If I promise to cease the hitting, can I have my hands back?"

" _Attempted_ hitting," Fred chuckled as he showed off her captured hands, "And what if I'm not ready to give them back?"

"Oh," that was the only word that registered in Hermione's brain.

"I really do like you Hermione, I hope you know that," he loosened his grip on her hands, but she made no effort to move them.

"The thought had crossed my mind," she wasn't quite sure where the teasing words came from, but Hermione was happy about the small laugh that it coaxed from Fred. "I hope you realize that I like you as well."

"Well, that's good... this could have been _very_ awkward otherwise..."

Hermione snorted again; she covered her face and leaned forward. She wanted desperately to hide herself as she laid her head against Fred's shoulder and giggled uncontrollably.

Fred began to chuckle along with her as he wrapped her in his arms.

* * *

 _Hope you all enjoyed! Loved writing this one, but what did you all think?_

 _Ms. Kinxsy - that is a fair point, but I don't think we really know how Hermione would have reacted to something like this. She never really had good luck with a love interest until the end of book seven... she was already 18 by then and even more mature because of the war. She never got to be a 'regular girl' when it came to relationships. I hope that I explained it a bit with the beginning of this chapter. Thanks!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***More reviews please!  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey all! HUGE thank yous to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter. You all are the most wonderful group of readers. =)  
_

 _A few extra thanks to GinnyPotter6891, Jily71102, Primerue, MissesE, lilyflower49, pianomouse, and Ms Jinxsy for all your kind words._

 _And away we go!_

* * *

Fred's POV

Things between Fred and Hermione became much more noticeable after their first 'date' on the veranda. No one really seemed to mind it, though all of Fred's siblings did enjoy a few teasing comments when the opportunities presented themselves. But overall, the extended time spent together, the not so secret hand holding under the table at meals, and the quietly shared whispers were politely not commented on by the other occupants of the house. Mrs. Weasley even seemed to encourage the relationship; she was overheard saying she hoped Hermione would have a positive influence on her son.

"Your mother seems to quickly forget things about me…" Hermione stated, while lounging on Fred's bed reading, as he and George sat on the floor of their bedroom going over their mail-order plan.

Fred sat with his back against Hermione's crossed legs, and leaned his head back onto her lap to look up at her, "What are you on about?" He noted that she looked quite pretty even upside down.

The witch shrugged, "I don't know. It just seems strange that she spent a good portion of last year hating me because she thought I was cheating on Harry. But now she thinks I'm the perfect little thing to reign in your practical joke ways."

"Well, Mum can be a bit strange when it comes to things like that. Just be glad that she doesn't know about the mess you and Ron had last year. She'd probably get it in her head that you picked Fred over Ronnikins and have a stroke," George chuckled as Fred and Hermione sent him matching glares.

* * *

The last day of July came quickly that year.

Hermione and Ron sent Harry birthday cards with promises of gifts and cake when he was finally able to join them. Fred and George had attempted to send him some samples of their most recent inventions; but they had been confiscated by Mrs. Weasley after she found the little note attached that suggested that the items might be entertaining to test out on Harry's cousin. Fred was a bit mortified that Ron had used the PolyPen that night to explain the whole scene in great detail to their isolated friend; including the yelling, facial expressions and especially when George had used a Puking Pastilles to escape from the tirade… effectively leaving Fred to deal with their mother alone.

Fred was placated by the fact that he had some retribution though.

George had smugly walked around with purple hair the entire next day. He had accepted the retaliation from his twin happily, since he was so proud of himself for stashing a Skiving Snackbox in his pocket before their mother had cornered them.

* * *

The regular day-to-day routine of cleaning chores, reading and games had only ever been interrupted by the occasional shopping trip and gatherings of the Order once a week. Every Sunday, Molly would corral the children to clean the house's entertaining areas, make enough food to feed a small army, and then the children would be sent to bed early so that the Order could hold a meeting.

Ron, Hermione, Fred and George had been in the middle of an Exploding Snap game, the first Wednesday of August, when Ginny sprinted into the sitting room. "Gin, where have you been? We wanted a fifth for the game, but we already started since we couldn't find you. Want to be dealt in for next round?" Fred offered his younger sister before he really noticed her exasperated expression.

"No… was by the kitchen… ran from downstairs… need to set up the ears _immediately_ ," Ginny was a fairly active person, and Fred and the others grew very worried by her anxious look and gasping breath.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione put her cards on the floor and turned her full attention to the younger witch.

The redheaded witch's voice cracked as she answered, "They called an emergency meeting. Dumbledore just arrived."

The group on the floor all shared worried glances; Professor Dumbledore hadn't attended a single Order meeting this summer. Mad-eye Moody or Kingsley Shacklebolt usually headed the meetings.

Everyone clambered from the floor and George gathered the deck with one quick flick of his wand. As they were exiting the sitting room, their father asked them to please go up to their rooms during the meeting and that dinner would be served afterwards.

The children all nodded their heads and slowly climbed the stairs to Ginny and Hermione's room. The door was closed and Fred and George quickly apparated out and came back a few moments later holding the familiar flash colored tubing.

When they were sure that everyone had arrived for the meeting and had settled down in the kitchen, Fred asked Ginny to creep down the stairs with one end of the Extendable Ears and place them under the gap at the bottom of the door.

* * *

That night they learned quite a few things.

First they heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley argue about Percy. Their brother had been promoted that morning to Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic. Though this should have been a celebratory occasion, the timing of the promotion was just too suspicious. Apparently, that afternoon, memos started flying around the Ministry stating that Harry Potter had been caught performing underage magic.

And not only that, rumor had it that Harry was being called in for an official hearing on the matter.

"That's ridiculous! They're supposed to issue a warning; especially for when the user is only using magic because they had to defend themselves." Hermione was so angry that Fred noticed her trembling slightly.

Fred grabbed Hermione's hand and laced their fingers together. He leaned down and whispered, "Don't panic just yet. If Dumbledore is here, I'm sure he has some kind of plan."

Hermione looked unconvinced, but Fred saw that she was trying to smile anyway. She squeezed his hand in return and rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to eavesdrop on the meeting.

* * *

"Can we go sit for just a minute? I need to get away and think," Hermione whispered to Fred as his siblings collected the extendable ears.

He nodded his head and pulled Hermione toward the stairs.

When they got out to the veranda, Hermione let go of his hand and stood at the edge of the balcony. She leaned on the railing and watched silently as people and cars passed by the seemingly nonexistent building.

Fred wasn't sure what to say that could help her at the moment, so he simply stood next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I think… I think something's wrong at the Ministry. The only reason they would go after Harry like that is if they wanted to use his celebrity to make an example of him… or someone in actually targeting _him,_ specifically," Hermione's eyebrows was creased in concentration.

"What led you to that conclusion?"

"Well, even if they aren't going to believe that there were Dementors, this should still only be Harry's first offense. In second year, Dobby the house-elf performed magic that the Ministry mistook for underage magic. They sent him a warning notice and later dismissed the charge entirely because Dumbledore had Dobby explain what had happened to an official. So there shouldn't be a record of it in Harry's file anymore. Before our third year, Harry became really aggravated at his uncle's sister and accidentally blew her up, but…" Hermione had to stop because Fred couldn't contain his laughter.

He had remembered his father explaining the balloon-aunt once over dinner. Fred had been slightly impressed by Harry for that one, "Sorry, the aunt bit got me." Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly at him as he cleared his throat, "You can't deny that it was impressive magic."

"Be that as it may," Fred noticed Hermione's lip twitch upward, "When that happened, the Minister of Magic himself pardoned Harry; he probably didn't even submit a record of underage magic being used, so Harry's file should be completely empty. This thing with the Dementors could feasibly be his first strike; I know it's not actually _accidental magic_ , but it would be his first time using magic during the summer months. And his cousin already knew about magic; exposure wasn't an issue. So… why are they trumping up these charges so much that a _hearing_ is being held?"

Fred shook his head; he felt a little bewildered by the whole thing. Everything Hermione had said made sense, but he really didn't want to think about what it meant if the Ministry was actively going after Harry Potter, "This is a bad omen or something, isn't it?"

Hermione shrugged, "I'm not certain, but that's my theory."

He smiled down at the witch as she wrapped her arms around him and slumped against his chest, "Don't worry Hermione. The Order won't let anything happen to Harry. And just to be safe, you and I will look through Sirius's library tomorrow for any magical law books and we'll come up with a backup plan; alright?"

The witch pulled back slightly and returned Fred's gentle smile, "Alright."

* * *

 _A few small moments in between moving the story forward, and then I had to show off how Fred's helping Hermione deal with and trying to help Harry out of this craziness. Hope you enjoyed!_

 _Ms Jinxsy - I'm SO sorry! I've left it up there for penance...  
_

 _Primrue - I agree. Hermione isn't really the casual type and Cormac was kind of slimy to me..._

 _GinnyPotter - Yes, I believe that I will... maybe further if there is an interest and the writing gods are kind to me._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***My muse LOVES reviews...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey there! Happy almost weekend!  
_

 _To everyone who Follows, Favorites and Reviews this story; I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all are the best readers and I really appreciate you ALL._

 _GinnyPotter6891, pianomouse, Jily71102, lilyflower49, MissesE, and Ms Jinxsy; you guys make writing a little easier with every review you write, thank you!_

* * *

Hermione's POV

That night, long after dinner, Hermione snuck into Ron's room and they set out the PolyPen.

It took an agonizing twenty-four minutes for Harry to finally respond to them, and when he told them what was going on at the Durley's… it didn't exactly make the two feel any better about the situation.

Harry had been locked in his room and was receiving cold food through a little flap at the bottom of his bedroom door. He wasn't allowed outside at all and was only permitted to use the restroom at specifically scheduled times. He didn't think the situation was going to change anytime soon… Hermione felt her temper flare to dangerous levels as she thought about how some muggle prisoners lived under better conditions than that.

Hermione paced the length of Ron's room as she explained her possible theories about the Ministry to Ron; and he in turn wrote out what he could to Harry. It wasn't the best system, but Hermione was too angry to sit still and write at the moment.

"So what do you think is really going on with all of this, 'Mione?"

The witch reached the end of the room and turned around. She again walked the path she had been burning into the carpet between the two twin beds, "I have no idea. But I don't think the Order can argue that keeping Harry with his Aunt's family is safest for him any longer. I bet if we ask them now, and we tell them what he's enduring, they won't be able to deny us any longer… they'll have to bring Harry here…"

"Should we tell Sirius what's happening. He's probably the biggest advocate for Harry during the meetings. I really think he and my mum will resort to actual blows soon," Ron wore a confusing expression and Hermione wasn't sure if it was worry or embarrassment.

"No. Sirius loves Harry; but he's been stuck in this house for far too long and I'm not sure if his opinion carries much weight with the Order right now," Hermione hated saying it, but the truth did hurt sometimes. "I think we should talk to Professor Lupin. He cares for Harry well enough that this will cause a personal reaction, but he's level headed enough that people will listen to him. Yes… if we convince him that Harry needs to be brought here, he'll be the one to convince the rest of the Order."

Ron's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, "Feeling a bit devious, are we? Think you may be spending a little too much time with the twins…."

Hermione smirked, "Just one of them… but I wouldn't say it was _too_ much time, but maybe just enough."

"I keep forgetting how scary you can be; imagine if you two stay together… no one will _ever_ want to be on your bad side," Ron chuckled as he took the pen and scribbled a few encouraging words to Harry.

' _Hermione has a plan. I'm betting money that we'll see you in-person within a week.'_

* * *

For the next three days Hermione ate, drank and slept magical law.

The subject was fascinating and frustrating all at the same time.

The witch had even taken to sleeping on the antique chaise lounge in the library, just to eliminate the wasted time commuting back and forth from her room. She's become so immersed that even Sirius had raised some concerns for her.

"Can't you take her out to the balcony or something? She needs to get away from these books; I don't think I've seen her move since Thursday," Sirius muttered under his breath to Fred.

The younger wizard snorted, "Have you ever tried to force Hermione Granger to do something she doesn't want to? It's dangerous."

"I think it's more dangerous that you're speaking about me where I can still hear you…" Hermione made sure that her voice was clearly audible as she spoke and she glanced up to see Sirius wearing a very concerned look. She was relieved to see that Fred's expression was much more joking but still had an edge of worry, "I'm perfectly fine, I promise. I'm eating regularly and I'm also making sure that I get at least eight hours of sleep every night just to make sure my brain is functioning at optimal levels."

Harry's godfather threw up his hands, "Fine. You win, Granger. If you keep this up though, you might turn out to be as stubborn as Lily Potter." The wizard turned on his heel and chuckled as he descended the stairs to the kitchen.

"Was that him complimenting you or criticizing?" Fred crossed the room and sat down on the couch with Hermione.

The witch sighed and shook her head, "No idea. But if Harry's mother was anything like everyone remembers her, I'll take it as a compliment."

Fred leaned towards the brunette and gazed over her shoulder, "So have you formulated the grand plan yet?"

"Yes actually. And I've already put some pieces into play."

"Care to share?"

Hermione noticed that her whole body tingled with each word Fred spoke into her ear. She quickly shook off the feeling; there wasn't time for it right now, "Ron and I convinced Lupin that Harry needs to come here. He's called another emergency meeting for tonight and he plans on assembling a team to go collect Harry tomorrow."

"Impressive! And how's our research on magical law?"

Fred had been staying with Hermione the last few days pulling thick texts from the dusty library shelves and jotting down notes about case examples so they had proof that the case against Harry was severely over-inflated. "It's fine. I finished the flashcards with the important speaking points and the examples that you found… I'm honestly not sure what else I can do, but I don't feel like I can stop," Hermione admitted and tilted her head so that she was now resting against Fred's shoulder.

He turned his head and lightly kissed Hermione's hair.

There was a brief moment of panic. But as the initial seconds of shock wore off, Hermione realized she liked the kind gesture.

She smiled, "Maybe Sirius is right though, maybe a break wouldn't be so bad."

"What if we have some lunch on the balcony and bring some of the books with us? Change of scenery might help your brain figure out if there really is something else you can do," Fred smirked as he stood and offered Hermione his hands.

"You're enabling my obsession with all this, you know," Hermione returned the twin's smirk.

"No," Fred's smile became very wide, "I'm just compromising. I know you won't stop trying to help Harry, but I want to sit with you on the veranda; so… it's more of a loophole."

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "No matter how good you are at loopholes, I'm still not helping you smuggle your products into Hogwarts."

Fred tried to smile innocently as he led her to the kitchen, "I still have a month to figure that one out; don't you worry."

* * *

 _I completely believe that Hermione would obsess over Harry's hearing, so I wanted to make sure I portrayed that here. Really wanted to include how Fred is becoming her confidant in all this. She loves Harry and Ron, but I always felt like she wasn't really able to share a lot with them until later on in the books._

 _Ginny - thanks! Really trying to not scare Hermione off..._

 _lilyflower - good luck on your exams!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews give me life...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	17. Chapter 17

_Hiya._

 _Thank you for all the love for last chapter! Big hugs for everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed; Juxiana, brightminds.2011, Jily71102, lilyflower49, MissesE, pianomouse, and Ms. Jinxsy. You guys always brighten my day. =)_

* * *

Fred POV

Fred and George stood next to the stair case, leaned up against the railing.

Fred tried to ignore the slight twitch his body involuntarily did when Hermione threw herself at Harry.

The Guard had just come back from finally getting the-boy-who-lived away from his aunt's family. Harry looked a little leaner than normal, but he looked deliriously happy to be at Grimmauld Place with Hermione's arms enveloping him. Ron had hugged his friend tightly too, but that didn't seem to cause any discomfort for Fred.

"Best check your stance, Freddie," George chuckled under his breathe, "Harry's going to think you don't like him anymore."

Fred uncrossed his arms; he hadn't realized that he had done that. "Yea… thanks."

George and Fred greeted Harry with brief hugs and quick chatter that they wanted to speak to him later about the headway they had made with the shop. The smile that crossed the younger wizard's face was almost blinding "Can't wait to hear what you two have planned."

The members of the guard had already filtered down to the kitchen for a quick wrap up meeting on Harry and the Dursleys, so the hallway was free of adults.

"Come on Harry, I'll show you our room," Ron began up the stairs with Harry at his heels. They chatted happily about the crazy house elf that Ron and Ginny had mentioned in one of their silly poems. George followed close behind laughing as Ginny began reciting the ridiculous haiku, rather loudly, as she climbed the stairs.

Hermione began to follow the group up the stairs but stopped short on the first step and turned around so that she was eye level with Fred. She smiled shyly, "You do know that you have nothing to worry about with Harry, right?"

Fred smirked a little uncomfortably, "Was I being that obvious?"

"Just a little. You looked like you wanted to set Harry's hair on fire," Fred noticed Hermione hide her smirk behind her hand.

He had hoped to have this kind of conversation in a more private sense, but it was making him feel a bit better even though they were in the middle of the hallway still, "So, absolutely nothing to worry about?"

Hermione shook her head, "Being concerned over me and Harry, would be like me being concerned about the affection between you and Ginny."

Fred noticed that the knot in his chest began to loosen. He offered the witch one of his small, genuine smiles, "I guess I can live with that."

"Good, because I cannot have you lighting Harry on fire or anything; I only have two best friends and I'm rather fond of them both," Hermione easily returned his smile.

"So what are you three up to now that Harry is finally here?" Fred tugged gently on one of the curls that had escaped Hermione's plait.

"We're sitting Harry down to go over a few more things now that we can speak to him in person," Hermione looked around the empty hallway. They could hear the Order as they discussed things in the kitchen and Ginny could still be heard, two floors up, finishing up the last line of the poem. No one was close enough to listen in on them here, "We won't be able to tell him _everything_ of course. I'm not sure how he would react if we told him that they suspect that Vol… that You-know-who has some kind of connection with him."

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Fred hated seeing her like this and decided to take advantage of the opportunity. He wrapped his arms around her waist and laughed happily as her eyes flew open in shock.

"You know… I think I really prefer you at eye level. Is there any way you could grow a few inches?" Fred had actually come to love the fact that Hermine was a bit on the short side. He enjoyed tucking her head under his chin when they hugged.

"Never. My stature helps keep all my knowledge extremely concentrated; that's why I'm so brilliant," Her smile was a bit smug, and Fred was actually quite impressed by her quick retort.

"Well, look at you. Looks, smarts _and_ wit; you'll be the end of me, Granger."

Hermione rolled her eyes and bowed her head down. She covered her face a bit as she tucked the wayward curl that Fred had been playing with behind her ear. But he still caught the red that flooded her cheeks due to his compliment. He was terrified for a moment that he might have taken it a step too far, but Hermione wasn't trying to make a mad break for it…

"Come on, Romeo," Hermione pulled his arms from around her waist, but kept hold of one of Fred's hands as she led the way up the stairs.

"Who's Romeo?" Fred felt that he might know the answer, but he liked hearing the pretty witch next to him explain things.

Hermione flashed him a smile as they continued up the stairs, "He's a character in a muggle play written by William Shakespeare, a very famous muggle playwright. It's a romantic tragedy, so a bit depressing, but lovely."

They were now on the third floor landing right next to Ron and Harry's room. Hermione craned her head around to peek through the doorway, "Guess I should get to catching Harry up on things." The witch took a small step away, but hesitated. She looked up at Fred, and before he could comment, raised up on her toes and kissed his cheek. Hermione smiled nervously as she stepped away from him, "Well, I'll see you at dinner." She turned and retreated into the room.

Fred was a bit dazed as he stared at the closed door of his brother's room. He rubbed the spot that Hermione had kissed slightly and couldn't help but smile, "Nope… nothing to worry about, it seems."

He climbed the last flight of stairs enthusiastically, taking two steps at a time.

* * *

 _A little fluff... because I love fluff; and a bit of them navigating the relationship. How did I do?_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***I say, the more the merrier, when it comes to Reviews...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	18. Chapter 18

_Hey there! Happy weekend!_

 _Thanks to all of the amazing Followers, Favorite-ers and Reviewers for last chapter. You all are freaking amazing, and I wrote a little longer of a chapter just because I love you all so much. Especially; Ameliemallette1, GinnyPotter6891, MissesE, Jily71102, and PrimRue._

* * *

Hermione POV

"Mione; why are you all red?"

Hermione had closed the door tightly behind her. Her stint of bravery was causing a huge butterfly upheaval in her stomach. She had wanted to kiss Fred for a a few days now; she had talked herself out of it several times. But the conversation that they had just had, had given Hermione some comfort and even a bit of confidence that this relationship with Fred was _very_ real.

Her brain was so happily distracted, that Ron's question took several seconds to process, "Oh… I… Nothing; I'm fine." She plastered what she hoped was a casual smile on her face and sat down beside Harry on his bed.

The black haired boy had a very evident smirk in place as he observed his best girl friend, "So… by the color of your face, I'm assuming that things are going well with Fred."

Ron's head shot up at attention, "Oh, bloody… is _that_ why you're all red? Listen I'm happy for you both and all that, but I _do not_ need details about my best friend and one of my siblings. Way too bloody awkward…"

They all shared an uncomfortable laugh before they moved on to the pressing matter of informing Harry of what had been going on this summer.

* * *

They told him about some of the Order details that were overheard on the Extendable Ears, and told him briefly about all the ridiculous cleaning that Mrs. Weasley had been corralling the children to do and Hermione explained the research that she and Fred had been doing for Harry's trial.

"Oh, yea… almost forgot about that," Harry's voice had gotten very soft and he didn't meet either of his friend's gazes.

Hermione was fiercely protective of her friends, and seeing Harry look so defeated made her even more upset than if he had reacted with rage toward the situation. "Harry, they have no basis for this trial. I'm fairly certain it can be dismissed simply on the grounds of this being you're 'first offense'. And even if that doesn't work, it's clearly stated that using magic to defend yourself in life-threatening situations is completely acceptable." Hermione held out the cards that she had made for talking points for Harry's defense, "Fred even found some past cases that can be sighted that are very similar to your own and they were dismissed before the plaintiff was even seated before the Wizengamot."

Harry chuckled, but Hermione could hear the hollowness to the sound. She looked at Ron and they came to a silent agreement; there was no way they could tell Harry about his possible connection with Voldemort right now. Maybe they could reveal more to him after the stress from the trial was dealt with.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione pulled the Boy-who-lived up from the bed and stood beside him. "I need you to get angry; like really livid, yelling and screaming… the whole thing."

"Why?" Harry looked a bit lost, but Hermione just smiled.

"So the Order doesn't know that we've been keeping you up-to-date on what we can. I mean, if we _had_ completely left you in the dark, wouldn't you be furious with us?" Hermione motioned to Ron and herself. "It would be perfectly within your right to be raging mad at us. So… yell at me. It will make you feel better too; very good stress reliever."

Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to yell at you. This is a bit ridiculous, Hermione."

"No, she's right Harry. The Order will probably be suspicious if you don't put up more of a fight to get information out of them," Ron stood up and faced Harry as well, "It's better if they think we didn't tell you anything… well actually, it's better if they think we don't _know_ anything."

"You're serious?"

Ron and Hermione nodded their heads.

"You're both barking mad!" Harry snorted.

"Doesn't mean we're not right," Hermione crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes a bit at her friend. "Think about all the anger you felt before we sent you the PolyPen. You were all alone, cut off from the wizarding world because Dumbledore thought it was safer that way. It took most of the summer to convince the Order that they needed to come get you. It looked like we had forgotten about you… like during second year when Dobby stole all our letters."

Harry ran his hand through his already ruffled hair, "Alright… that _was_ all utter shi… I mean, I hated this summer; it felt like I was twelve again. What if I don't know what to yell?"

"Say something like 'why can't you tell me anything useful,' or something to do with not getting any owls from us this summer," Ron offered with a smirk.

"This is so ridiculous…" Harry cleared his throat and tried raising his voice at his two best friends, "There must be _something_ you can tell me. You barely answered any of my owls. I was surprised I even heard from either of you for my birthday!"

Hermione struggled to hide her smirk at the very sad acting attempt, "Not all that convincing Harry. And the bit about your birthday was a bit of a low blow."

Ron elbowed her in the ribs, "You really need to stop hanging around with Fred. How did I become the nice one?" Hermione smirked at the redhead and shrugged her shoulders.

At that, Harry fumed, "This is stupid and _completely_ unfair! You two got to sit here in my Godfather's house being all chummy and becoming such good mates again. While I got to spend the summer basically alone and was then locked up and fed cold canned soups from people who hate my very _existence_!"

Hermione and Ron stared blankly at him; opened mouth and wide-eyed.

"We're… we're sorry mate. We've been begging the Order to fetch you for more than a month now," Ron shifted his feet uncomfortably.

Hermione reached over and placed a comforting hand on Harry's arm, "I'm so sorry Harry. I wish…"

CRACK. CRACK.

The twins appeared right next to the trio.

Hermione jumped back and glared at Fred, "Was that _really_ necessary? You and George haven't done that in weeks…"

"Well, we heard the delicate tones of Mr. Potter here and I wanted to make sure he wasn't going to blow anything up," George casually stated as he took Ron's abandoned seat at the desk and leaned back. "Freddie here feared for your life, Granger."

Fred smirked, "I know full well, Hermione can fend for herself. And we knew that you three wouldn't actually go after one another… just concerned." He faced Harry and offered a small smile.

Harry nodded his head and Hermione could see the heated anger leave the boys eyes, "We really are sorry we couldn't do more, Harry."

"I know. And I'm grateful for everything that you all _were able_ to do. It's just… frustrating all around," Harry sunk back onto his bed, laid down and stared at the ceiling.

Ginny barged into the room without even knocking, "Enough with the bloody yelling. The Order's clearing out now; except the ones staying for dinner, of course." The redheaded witch glanced around the room and looked a bit bewildered. Her expression shifted to concern when he noticed Harry's despondent expression, "What in Merlin's name did you all do to Harry?"

The Boy-who-lived chuckled, "They didn't do anything. And sorry; I was the one yelling."

"Well stop your very loud complaining then and let's get to dinner. You're skinnier than I am now," Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him until he reluctantly stood and followed her out of the room. Everyone saw the smile playing at the edges of Harry's mouth.

* * *

"Well, that was interesting," George murmured under his breath after Ginny and Harry left.

"Very… bet you ten galleons that they don't start dating until next year though," Fred glanced back at his twin.

"You're on."

Ron flailed his arms about in protest, "NO. I have enough best friends dating siblings. Let's go eat…" He grabbed George and forcefully pushed him from the room. He turned to Hermione, "I blame you if they start dating; horrible example you've set… dating Weasleys…" Ron smirked playfully at his friend.

Hermione stood there in awe, "What just happened?"

"Well, I think we just witnessed Ronald growing up a bit and Harry realizing that Ginny isn't the quiet little witch she used to play around him. But Harry's a bit thick, so it will take him a while to realize that Ginny's a girl," The look on Fred's face was a bit confusing. Hermione decided that it was a mixture of smug and elated.

"That's a bit harsh," Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and playfully glared at the twin.

"Ah, well you see… I'm a little distressed right now." Fred smirked at the witch as he took a step closer to Hermione, "I might be misplacing my emotions."

"And what, may I ask, are you distressed over?"

"You, actually; Miss Granger," Fred took another step forward, completely closing the gap between them. "First you blindside me with a kiss, and then you run away before I had a chance to say anything."

"That was barely a kiss; it was on the cheek," Hermione could feel the heat begin to flood her face, "And I did _not_ run away." She raised her chin a bit defiantly at the accusation.

"If you really wanted a kiss that badly, you could have just asked me instead of jumping me in the hallway," Hermione felt Fred place a hand on her waist and leaned down slightly. His light touch caused a familiar tingling sensation to creep up her side.

Hermione's stare alternated between his clear brown eyes and his smirking mouth, "Is that all I have to do; just ask?" She honestly could not get over how much she had changed over the summer. Before this thing with Fred, Hermione would never have imagined acting like this. She admitted that this might be a little over her head; but Hermione was surprised at how much she wanted to find out how Fred's lips felt.

Fred smiled. But it wasn't one of those sweet genuine smiles that Hermione had grown so fond of, "Of course, Granger." He leaned forward just enough so that they were mere inches apart now. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed; she couldn't believe the intensity that was building up around them. "But…" Fred quickly pecked her on the forehead and pulled away, "I'm not going to have our first real kiss be in Ron and Harry's bedroom."

Hermione opened her eyes in shock. After a few seconds though, she broke into an exasperated laughing, "You're a prat Fred Weasley."

Fred took her hand and led her out of the room, "You _did_ start this, Hermione." He smirked as he brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

"You know I'll have to get back at you for that… whatever _that_ was." Hermione felt her competitive nature kick in as they descended the stairs together.

"Oh, I know. I was counting on that."

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed that! I thought they needed to take step forward. The chapters leading up to this were all about them getting comfortable with each other and laying foundation. Teasing flirtation was a logical next step. ;)  
_

 _amelie - Merci!_

 _Ginny - no worries; always glad to hear from you though._

 _MissesE - thanks! hope this one lives up to the standards too._

 _Jily - thank you! I wanted a little jealousy to creep out._

 _Primrue - always happy to hear I can make people smile. thanks!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are more motivating than you know!  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	19. Chapter 19

_Hey there!  
_

 _Thank yous to all the Followers, Favoriters and Reviewers for last chapter. I was floored by the huge outpouring of love from the reviewers. Guest, hogwartswonderland, Angels-heart1, dungbombacidpops, magiceverwhere, pianomouse, jily1102, ameliemallette1, GinnyPotter6891, MissesE, and lilyflower49; you all are simply AMAZING._

* * *

Fred's POV

The last few days had been utter torture for Fred.

His mother had been keeping everyone in the house as busy as possible cleaning out any room that hadn't already been stripped, scrubbed and sorted. By the end of each day, everyone was so exhausted that they barely had enough energy to make their way back up to their respective rooms. And Fred was having very little luck finding time to be alone with Hermione.

It was driving him completely insane. The only solace had been meals. Everyone would collapse around the table in the kitchen and Fred would always take the seat at Hermione's right side, and she would reach out and take his hand as she carried on a conversation with whoever was on her other side. The motion may have been simple, but Fred always felt his mouth pull up at the edges when he had Hermione's hand in his own.

* * *

The day before Harry's hearing at the Ministry began just like all the other days since the Boy-who-lived had arrived at Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Weasley had made breakfast, corralled the children to a dreary room covered in years of dirt and dust, lunch was served, Sirius protested the cleaning of said room, Molly and Sirius argued for about half an hour, and then dinner was made and served when Mr. Weasley came home from work.

This dinner was a bit strained though. Harry, Hermione and Ron barely spoke throughout the meal. Ginny and the twins forced themselves to talk very animatedly about anything they could think of and often asked the Trio their opinions to try to draw them into the conversation.

When Ginny finally got Ron and Harry talking about quiddtich in somewhat of an excited manner, Hermione leaned her head onto Fred's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"You alright?" Fred whispered into her endearingly frizzy hair.

"Yes," Hermione sat back up and glanced over at Harry and Ron. Fred followed her gaze and noticed that the boys appeared a bit more spirited then before. Ginny was doing well keeping their minds off of tomorrow. Hermione turned so that she was facing Fred, "I think we're just all having some… _reservations_ about tomorrow."

Fred nodded his head in understanding, he knew that everyone in the house was concerned about tomorrow but it was plainly evident that the Trio was being affected by it more than the others. "I know this is really difficult for you; but try not to worry until there is actually something to worry about. Harry could get off completely free of any charges before he even has a chance to sit down, remember?" He let go of Hermione's hand and laid a comforting hand on her upper back.

Hermione smiled weakly, "I know you're right, it's completely logical… but I can't _not_ worry."

* * *

Fred felt a bit useless not being able to pull Hermione from her somber mood. Even when the witch kissed him goodnight on the cheek, he knew that his smile was strained.

George was already lying in bed when Fred got to their room that night, "Kiss her properly yet?"

"Nope," Fred smirked slightly and made a mental note of how much he appreciated having his twin around to cheer him up.

A snort filled the room, "better get going with that before she comes to her senses, Gred."

"I will keep that in mind, Forge."

* * *

"Fred." The wizard felt his shoulder being shaken, "Wake up." The voice was close to his ear and sounded very familiar. "For Merlin's sake… FRED."

The twin in question shot up in bed as Ginny called directly into his ear, "Bloody He…" The witched reached over and covered Fred's mouth.

"Shut it or you'll wake George," the witch tilted her head in the other twin's direction. "Come on, I need your help. Hermione's lost her mind."

"What?"

Ginny pulled Fred until he stood, and he followed her down the stairs to the first landing of the old house. Fred shook his head and smirked to himself when he noticed that the lamps in the library were throwing light under the gap along the bottom of the door.

He turned back to his sister, "Go back to bed Gin; I'll try to get her up there in a minute."

"Yea, alright," Ginny looked at him with skepticism and started up the stairs, "Good luck."

The sight that met Fred's eyes when he opened the door would have been comical in any other situation. Hermione was surrounded by thick opened tomes; so many in fact that most of the floor in the library was covered in books. The witch had three of them in her lap and was using all the books around her to reference the ones in her arms. She looked frantic but still completely focused somehow.

Fred cleared his throat softly to get her attention, "Hermione, I think you need to get to bed. You losing sleep isn't going to help Harry tomorrow."

"I just… I needed to make sure that we didn't miss anything," Hermione sighed deeply, "I couldn't sleep so I came down here. I only meant to check one of those case studies that you found, but it... kind of expanded." She motioned to the sea of books around her and pulled at her hair slightly annoyed with herself.

"Come on 'Mione,'" Fred tiptoed between all the texts on the floor and offered his hand to the witch.

Hermione shook her head, "I… I don't think I can leave."

"Alright," Fred looked around the room, "How about we just sit for a little while, away from all the books." He offered Hermione his hand again and smiled with relief when she took it.

Fred led her over to one of the fancy couches along the wall. He noticed that Hermione's hand was slightly chilled so he pulled the woven blanket off the back of the seat and draped it around the witch's shoulders before pulling her down onto the sofa with him.

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes; Hermione carefully tucked into Fred's side. He felt the witch begin to fidget slightly, so he tried to distract her with questions about Hogwarts. Fred asked her about which classes she was going to continue with after her O.W.L. year and what she might want to do with all the classes he was sure she would receive an Outstanding on.

Hermione began to relax again, and Fred could feel her body ease gradually as they continued to talk.

* * *

He wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but they had fallen asleep in the library. Fred woke up to find himself splayed over the couch with Hermione still tucked into his side. His arm held her securely to him and the blanket that Hermione had been wearing was now shared between them.

Fred smiled a little to himself as he looked over at the sleeping form of Hermione on his shoulder until a voice brought him back to the reality of the situation.

"Good morning, Fred."

* * *

 _Sorry about the huge tease last chapter. I thought it was a very Fred thing to do... lol. Next chapter should be along shortly. Who do you all think caught them? =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are one of the most motivating things!  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	20. Chapter 20

_Hey all!_

 _Cannot thank you all enough for the amazing Follows, Favorites and Reviews for last chapter. aliceindeepdarkwonderland, jinx delrio, multipass22, theweiterinallofus, GinnyPotter6891, dungbombacidpops, MissesE, lilyflower49, Angels-heart1, and Jily71102; you are all freaking amazing! Thank you so much for the encouragement and patients._

* * *

Hermione's POV

Hermione had slept fairly well in comparison to the two previous nights leading up to Harry's hearing. And she wasn't too proud to admit that it had something to do with the wizard she fell asleep on.

… But she could have done without the awkward wake-up call.

His voice was even and imposing, "Good Morning, Fred... Hermione."

As soon as Hermione heard those words, she felt her whole face flood with warmth. She lifted the blanket slightly so that it was obscuring her face from view and she tried to help as Fred moved to sit them both upright again.

"Uh… good morning, Sirius," Fred shot up from the sofa and nervously scratched the back of his neck. Hermione felt a bit betrayed by the twin's reaction. She knew it was ridiculous to feel upset about Fred trying to put some distance between them; it _was_ a natural response to being caught, but they hadn't been doing anything inappropriate.

Hermione wrapped the blanket loosely over her shoulders and stood up next to Fred. "Good morning, Sirius," she said as she took Fred's hand firmly in her own.

There was a slight pull at the edge of the older wizard's mouth as he took in the sight of the two teenagers in front of him. When Hermione noticed Sirius's reaction, her tense shoulders relaxed, and she found herself trying to not to return the smirk.

"Well, you're very lucky that I'm the one who found you and not Molly or Arthur," Hermione nodded her head at Sirius's words. "And I'm sure it was innocent and you were a complete gentleman," Sirius attempted to look authoritative and imposing against the tall ginger boy in front of him. Hermione found this quite funny but tried not to laugh.

"Of course, Sirius; it was entirely innocent. I came down here to try to convince Hermione to get some rest and we fell asleep on the sofa before I could get her back to her and Ginny's room," Fred's defense stumbled out of his mouth rather quickly, and Hermione bowed her head down to hide her wide grin.

Sirius nodded with an approving expression on his face, "Fine, then. Best walk yourself quietly up to your room; no apparating. Your father's already left for the ministry with Harry and your mother is looking after Tonks in the kitchen currently."

"You're not going to tell my parents?" Fred looked relieved and very confused at the idea. Hermione knew that Fred was a bit skeptical about adults in general, especially since most of the ones he knew had been very unsupportive of him and George's life ambitions. But she felt that Fred should have known better when it came to Sirius.

"No," an almost wicked twinkle came to Sirius's eye, "I've come across much worse; believe me. Just promise that you both will be more careful. Honestly, I'm not so old that I've forgotten my own Hogwarts days."

Fred gazed at Sirius with wide eyes, "Bloody… alright... What about Hermione? Should I walk her back to her room?"

Sirius shook her head, "No, I will be taking her down to the Kitchen as part of your cover story. I came into the library to find our Miss Granger asleep on the sofa, alone. We will let your mother fuss over her not sleeping properly and then you and George will come done in a bit for breakfast. Off you go." He stepped out into the hallway and held the door open for the younger wizard to step through.

Hermione noticed a smile begin to form on Fred's lips. He didn't say a word as he quickly kissed Hermione's temple and made his way to the stairs as soundlessly as possible.

"I think that boy likes you, Hermione," Sirius chuckled as he watched the tall ginger disappear up the old staircase.

"I hope so; I like him," the witch smiled. "Thank you for that."

"For what? Scaring the poor boy or helping you two cover up that you fell asleep together in my library?"

"Well, both I guess. Though Fred should have realized that you wouldn't turn us in to his parents," Hermione smiled wider as the older wizard chuckled.

"And why, may I ask, do you think I wouldn't turn you both over to Molly?" Sirius halted at the top of the stairs that led down into the basement kitchen.

"Because you see a bit of yourself in him and George; you admire them a bit I think. It's the same way you feel about Harry; Harry just has the added feeling of family because of his Mum and Dad." Hermione shuffled her feet slightly before she found the courage to finish her statement, "You want to protect Harry and all of us, because we remind you of you and your friends from Hogwarts… and you feel guilty over the fact that you couldn't protect them, even though it wasn't your fault or responsibility."

"Very perceptive for so early in the morning, Hermione," Sirius wore a sad expression even though he was still smiling. "You really are one of the brightest witches I've ever met. And you are correct; I do see flashes of James in Harry. But I also see a little of Lily in you, and she was a dear friend too."

Hermione mirrored the miserable smile that Sirius had offered her before. She really didn't know what to say in response to such a sweet and sad statement.

Sirius cleared his throat loudly, "But anyway, I do seem to recall a certain scenario where you _might_ have assisted in saving my life… so I thought that the least I could do was help you avoid the wrath of Molly Weasley." The older wizard was now wearing his signature smirk and winked at Hermione.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Well, for whatever reason then; thank you Sirius." And they made their way down into the kitchen.

* * *

The morning passed so slowly that Hermione felt as if time had stopped completely. She sat at the kitchen table surrounded by the remaining, chatty inhabitance of Gimmauld Place. But the discussion around her turned to indecipherable murmuring in her mind; all her own thoughts focused on what Harry might be going through at the Ministry.

"Hello; anyone in there?"

Hermione turned and noticed his smirk with slight annoyance, "You seem chipper for someone who was absolutely terrified this morning."

Fred shrugged and didn't let the edge of her voice affect his mood, "It was early; I forgot that Sirius doesn't usually act like an adult. And I know that Harry will be cleared of all charges; so yes; I'm happy."

Ron snorted, "How can you be so sure?"

"Just am. It's a shame his two best mates can't have more faith in his ability to _get away_ with things," Fred flashed a wide toothy grin.

It was obvious that Fred was trying to cheer them up, but Hermione felt hot tears form in the corners of her eyes. She angrily bit the inside of her cheek to make sure that none of the saltwater spilled down her face.

Fred immediately threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry; bad joke…" The twin looked to Ron, "I was only teasing."

"I know. She knows too," Ron waved his hand at Hermione. "It's just… well Hermione and I are usually _with_ Harry when he gets himself into trouble. It's bloody nerve racking to have to sit and wait."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel like," Ginny muttered as she stood up and placed her plate into the sink.

The chatter in the kitchen died down, but everyone remained in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley made sure that everyone's tea cup was filled to the brim, even if they only had a few sips before she rounded on them again.

When they heard footfalls descending the stairs, ever pair of eyes was turned to the door. Hermione wasn't even sure if anyone was breathing; it seemed like everyone was holding their breaths.

"Cleared of all charges," Harry said with a goofy grin as he looked over the people seated at the table.

Sirius and Ron rose immediately to hug and congratulate Harry and express how they hadn't been worried in the slightest.

Hermione remained in her seat with Fred's arm around her; slowly allowing her breathing to resume its normal pattern. She felt a relieved smile cross her face, "You can say it now."

"Say what?" Fred chuckled as Ginny and George began to dance and chant around the table.

"You can say 'I told you so.' You were right, after all," Hermione felt strangely light now.

Fred had leaned over to make sure Hermione could hear him over his siblings chanting. "I would _never_ say that to you," He dropped his arm to her waist and pulled Hermione a little closer to his side, "That phrase always comes across a bit vindictive in my mind. I would never use that against you."

Hermione was stunned, "That's really, very sweet."

"Well, you hold onto the thought of how sweet you think I am while I go join George and Gin," Fred hugged her tightly before jumping up from his seat and falling in beside his dancing siblings. She shook her head and chuckled at the group's chanting.

Hermione stood and embraced Harry as she offered her congratulations. Her friend smiled broadly, "Thanks. Dumbledore was there actually; he brought up a lot of the points that you and Fred researched for me."

"Wonderful! I'm glad you had a good defender at your side," Hermione didn't care whether the note cards had been used or not, she was just happy that Harry wasn't convicted and making his way to Azkaban.

"No way they were going to convict you with Dumbledore on your side," Ron happily added as he led the trio back to the table and began dishing out huge portions of the lunch that Mrs. Weasley had just finished making.

Hermione noticed the rigidness of Harry's shoulders as he spoke again, "Yea… would have been nice if he spoke to me though, or even _looked_ at me." He winced badly and grabbed his forehead with both hands.

"What is it?" Hermione's voice was a bit high. She had noticed him wince a few times since he had arrived at Gimmauld Place, but Hermione hadn't been too concerned until this point.

"Just my scar… it's nothing," Harry offered Hermione a semi convincing smile and turned toward the heaping plate of food in front of him.

Hermione made a mental note to be more observant of Harry's scar.

" _He got off, he got off, he got off…"_

" _SHUT UP."_

* * *

 _I always kind of felt like Sirius would have a friendly relationship with Hermione. She saved his life and is one of Harrys best friends. So i wanted their interaction to feel fun and loving, maybe like he's an older sibling or uncle. I'm loving this AU and the little changes that have been occurring in my head due to Fred and Hermione. Let my know your thoughts too! Can't wait to show you all more._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Longer chapter equals more reviews... right?  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	21. Chapter 21

_Hi there!_

 _So thankful for all of the Followers, Favorite-ers and Reviewers for last chapter. Maramalolz, magiceverywhere, Jily71102, GInnyPotter6891, Shiki de Uchiha, and Angels-hear1; you guys are WONDERFUL!_

 _And here we go, just because I love you all so very much..._

* * *

Fred's POV

The last two weeks of captivity within the N _oble and Most Ancient House of Black_ were almost unbearable.

Fred had to physically pull George away from their mother when she found a handful of one of their new prototypes in a jacket that she was washing, "And I thought _you_ were always the level headed one, Georgie."

"That's bullocks, and you know it," George huffed as he paced the room trying to remember every ingredient in the new versions of the Fainting Fancies that had just been tossed out.

There was a faint knocking at the door but George didn't seem to have heard anything.

"Who's there?" Fred called from the small desk where he had settled down to wait for his twin to remember the revised recipe for the skiving snackbox sweet.

"It's Hermione," the witch opened the door as she answered, "Is George alright?"

Hermione and Fred shared a brief smile and both turned their attention to the tall ginger that was still pacing and muttering to himself, "Only time will tell. What have you been up to?" He motioned toward the bed and Hermione sat down comfortably on the edge of it.

"Nothing productive I'm afraid. Just trying to calm Harry down still; he gets terrible headaches and then gets all ill-tempered afterwards." The witch chuckled a bit, "I feel like we deserve it in some way though. Since we still haven't told Harry about the link the Order thinks he has with You-Know-Who."

"Well, it might be better, for everyone involved, if you let go of that little secret then," Fred gave her a small smile and tried to resist taking her hand. They hadn't had much time to themselves still. Mrs. Weasley had immediately resumed the excruciating cleaning schedule after Harry had been cleared.

George suddenly stopped, "AH! I think I remember everything, give me the parchment."

Fred handed over a slip of paper and a quill. George took them without a word and sat down on the floor before beginning to scribble wildly across the paper.

"Do you think I should tell him I nicked one from the bin?" Hermione held out an unassuming thing wrapped in white parchment paper.

"You didn't?!" Fred felt his eyes grow wide with shock and a smile began to creep across his mouth.

George looked up from his seat on the floor and lunged at Hermione, locking her in a tight hug and knocking her over onto the bed, "Merlin… I think I love you Hermione Granger. And if you weren't dating my brother, I would kiss you!"

Hermione was giggling horribly as Fred stood up, frowned and wretched his twin off of the witch, "Get off her George. You're going to suffocate her, you idiot."

"What's wrong Freddie? Afraid your girlfriend will realize she chose the wrong twin?" George waggled his eyebrows suggestively as he stood up from the bed.

"Shut it Georgie, or I'll hex your eyebrows clear off your face," Fred had meant it as a real threat, but he couldn't help laughing at the absurd image that jumped into his head of an eyebrow-less George.

Before George could retort, they were all called down to lunch by Mrs. Weasley.

* * *

As everyone was making their way through turkey and cheese sandwiches and crisps, six owls swooped into the kitchen and dropped thick envelopes in front of all the Hogwarts students.

Fred stuffed a crisp into his mouth before grabbing the letter and ripping the seal. The list seemed fairly standard; just seventh year level books for the few N.E.W.T.'s classes that he was taking and a reminder that his testing would be conducted by Ministry officials at the beginning of June next year.

George leaned over to quickly compare lists, "Everything seems in order. Can you believe this is our last year?"

"No, I have a feeling this year's going to be interesting though," Fred shared a chuckle with his brother before looking over at Hermione, "Hey, you alright?"

The witch was so still, she could have been mistaken for a statue. Hermione didn't meet his eyes as she began to speak, "I… I was made a pre…"

But Mrs. Weasley interrupted, "I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful; a prefect! That's everyone in the family!" The older witch came around the table and hugged Ron very tightly as she continued to offer her son congratulations.

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" George looked utterly bewildered but wore a lopsided smile to abate the glare that Fred could see hiding behind it.

In all honesty, Fred didn't care about being named prefect or not and he knew that George felt the same. But it did sting a little to be forgotten by your own mother…

Fred forced a chuckle and elbowed his twin to calm him down. "Not worth it mate," he mumbled under his breathe.

Fred turned back to finish the conversation with Hermione, but he found her seat empty. He turned to Harry who sat across from him, "Where's Hermione?"

Harry shrugged and frowned, "Not sure. She ran off when Mrs. Weasley made that comment about your whole family being prefects." Fred noticed that Harry was fuming as he picked at the crust of his sandwich.

"Cheer up Potter. Being a prefect just means that all the fun is sucked out of your life," Fred flashed the boy a wide smile and sneaked out of the kitchen while Mrs. Weasley was still fawning over Ron.

* * *

Fred didn't need to think too hard about where Hermione would run off to, and he found her not three minutes later seated on the wide stone railing of the veranda, "Knew I'd find you here."

Hermione looked up briefly from her clutched hands and offered a sad smile, "Needed to get away from everything for a bit. I needed to think."

"About what?" Fred walked over and stood in front of Hermione's crossed legs. He hooked her chin and forced the witch to meet his gaze, "What's going on is that head of yours?"

"I'm sorry about what your mum said. And I'm sorry you were never made a prefect."

"It happens," Fred shrugged casually. "And I never had the ambition to be a prefect, so I don't mind that part. That job always seemed a bit stressful and never looked very fun."

"Is that your only opinion of it?" Hermione looked at him with a sad expression that Fred couldn't seem to place.

"Well yea. Most of the prefects aren't power-hungry prats like Percy was. And only the Slytherin ones ever give George and me problems. Why?"

Hermione opened her fist and revealed what she had been clutching in her hand. Fred smirked as he looked over the shiny silver badge stamped with a capital "P."

"Well, look at that," Fred picked up the badge and flipped it over in his hand a few times.

"Does this… does this change anything? Between us, I mean," Hermione's voice was so soft he almost didn't hear her.

"What? Why would it?" Fred began laughing until he realized that Hermione had been genuinely concerned.

She looked at him and took a deep breath, "I was afraid that you wouldn't want to date a prefect, or maybe you'd expect me to look the other way if you get caught breaking rules. I can't do that for you; I won't."

Fred creased his forehead in confusion, "I wouldn't ask that of you. And this doesn't change how I feel about you; though I am deciding if I should be upset that you think so little of me." He took her hand and laced their fingers together, "Hermione, please stop overthinking things. I'm happy for you. That's all you should be feeling too; happiness."

"I can't just be happy. There's you to think of… and Harry too. He looked like he was going to curse his sandwich when he heard Ron was a prefect," Hermione kneaded the side of her head as if a pain had just sprung up there.

"Well, Harry will come round; he'll be fine. And me," Fred pulled on her hand until she stood up. He wrapped one hand around her waist and tucked a stray curl behind her ear with the other, "I get to have a prefect for a girlfriend. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself."

"So George was right; I'm your girlfriend?" Fred noticed a little sparkle behind her stern eyes.

"Only if I can be claimed as your boyfriend; I won't be left without a label."

Hermione laughed and nodded her head, "Alright; if you insist."

"Good," and without any hesitation Fred leaned down and captured Hermione's lips with his own.

* * *

 _EEEKKKKK! They finally got that first kiss... and they worked out a little bump in the road too. What did you all think of that?!_

 _Maramalolz - welcome!_

 _magiceverywhere - I'm working on it, I promise._

 _Jily71102 - thanks!_

 _GInnyPotter6891 - Thanks. I completely feel the same about your thoughts on Ginny and Harry too._

 _Shiki - we'll just have to wait and see I'm afraid._

 _Angels - thanks!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***PLEASE! If you liked the chapter, please review. Even just a single word can be encouraging...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	22. Chapter 22

_Good morning! (Or Good whatever time of day it is for you.)_

 _Huge thank yous to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter. Angels-heart1, jinx delrio, GInnyPotter6891, aliceindeepdarkwonderland, and MissesE; I love you guys. That is all._

* * *

Hermione's POV

"No."

Fred leaned against the door frame of the room and flashed her one of his signature smiles, "I didn't even say anything yet."

Hermione sat on the floor in front of her trunk, doubling checking that she had everything needed for her upcoming fifth year at Hogwarts. She tried desperately not to return Fred's smile but he did look fairly handsome just standing there in her room, "But I already know what you're going to ask me. And you promised that I wouldn't have to break rules for you that I'm not comfortable with." Hermione stood up and closed the lid of her trunk.

"Ah… but I believe there's something somewhere stating that it is a girlfriend's obligation to at least _listen_ to an argument if it has been as meticulously constructed as mine has," Fred sauntered into the room and sat down right on top of Hermione's trunk. He sat up very straight and waited for Hermione's retort.

The witch finally gave into the smile that had been threatening to take over her expression, but she rolled her eyes to show her slight frustration at the twin. Hermione walked over to the door and closed it tightly to deter anyone from eavesdropping, "Alright, let's hear it then."

"Not yet," Fred shook his head and stood up, "You have to kiss me first."

"I would love to, but why do I _have_ to?" Hermione had become a bit braver since their first kiss on the veranda. That kiss had been everything that she imagined a first kiss should be; it was gentle and steady, yet it stirred something inside her and had begun to coax out a slightly playful side that Hermione hadn't even been aware she had.

"I'm honestly afraid that you'll be cross with me when you realize you've been outfoxed," Hermione noticed that Fred's smile faulted slightly as he said this. He was actually worried…

Hermione decided that she needed to prove to Fred that his concerns were ridiculous, and she would never be so cross with him that she would deny him a kiss. She continued on with the bantering in hopes that it would make him more comfortable, "Feeling confident, I see."

"You've only yourself to blame, Granger."

The witch was confused but she smirked to play along, "How, in Merlin's name, is your confidence my fault?"

The tall wizard closed the gap between them and wound his arms around her waist, "Because I somehow convinced the brightest witch of my age to date me. She then went off and got herself named a prefect. And I'm fairly certain she's in the running for Head Girl as well… so yea, _your_ fault my ego is a bit inflated. My girlfriend's a bloody genius and to make matters even worse, she's very pretty too."

Hermione snorted, "Now you're just buttering me up in the hopes of it helping your case."

"Maybe, maybe not; that doesn't make what I said any less true," Fred pressed his lips to Hermione's briefly a few times, before finally stealing a long, lingering kiss that made her stomach perform a somersault.

Fred pulled away and Hermione found that her fingers were reluctant to let go of him. She felt warmth spread over her cheeks and she heard Fred chuckle, "We can't get carried away; I have a loophole to present to you. And Mum's been on high alert since someone let slip we were snogging on the veranda."

Hermione felt her whole face grow hot now, "Oh… who… do you know who saw us?"

"Not a clue, but I'll let you have the honor of hexing them when I figure it out," Fred motioned for her to take a seat on the trunk and rubbed his hands together as he collected his thoughts. "So, do you remember your exact words when we were discussing you smuggling Weasley products?"

"Um… I'm fairly certain I said 'no' several times," Hermione smiled at the look of pure giddiness on Fred's face. He seemed so excited over this loophole that he thought he found that she was actually feeling a bit eager to hear it.

Fred nodded his head, "Yes, you said that _numerous_ times. But I believe your exact words were something like, 'I will not help you smuggle your products _into_ Hogwarts.' And Ginny mentioned you saying something about hating the idea of us testing on unsuspecting students."

"Sounds like something I would say," Hermione watched as Fred began to slowly pace the room and gesturing like he was actually making a professional sales pitch.

"Well, George and I have been talking and we have come up with a clever idea that doesn't go against your wishes but still allows you to help us," The wizard seemed to bounce on the balls of his feet, but Hermione noted that he still looked a little nervous. Fred brought over a bag that she hadn't noticed earlier and handed it over to Hermione, "These are sample versions of our Skiving Snackboxes. They're all clearly labeled for what they do and instructions are all printed there on the back as well, so absolutely _no_ unsuspecting victims."

"That's great, but I still don't feel comfortable helping you sneak forbidden things into the castle," Hermione pulled one of the Fever Fudge sweets from the bag and noticed that everything Fred had mentioned was printed very neatly on the wrapper.

"Ah, but here's the most vital part of our little loophole," Fred cleared his throat and put a toothy grin on his face, "We will be giving _all_ of these samples away on the train. Not a single one will make it up to the castle, so you technically will not be smuggling anything into Hogwarts."

Hermione snorted, "How can you make sure that none of them will leave the train?"

Fred's smile grew even wider, "I might have placed a charm on them so they instantly dissolve… I've scheduled it for around the time the train arrives in Hogsmeade tomorrow."

"So none of these will enter Hogwarts?"

"No."

"And everyone will know exactly what they're eating?"

"Yes."

Hermione grinned; she was rather impressed with the effort that the twins had put into their loophole, "And you'll share these will _all_ the houses?"

"Um…" Fred's excited expression fell, "Do you think that's wise? The Slytherin Prefects will probably just try to use them to get us detention."

"But if you've done your charm well enough, they'll lose all their evidence against you as soon as they step off the train." Hermione had no love for the Slytherins that she knew, but she tried to not form a general sweeping opinion based off of a few dreadful people… and this was a way of checking how much effort Fred put into the dissolving charm…

Fred nodded in agreement, "Yea, alright. We'll spread the sweets around as equally as possible."

"It's good business practice anyway. Don't exclude people just because of the house they were sorted into. I was almost a Ravenclaw you know; would you have still liked me then?" Hermione teased as Fred sat down on the floor and leaned up against her bed. She took the bag full of sweets and tucked them away in the corner of her trunk before sitting down next to him.

"Well, we both know you look brilliant in blue so I don't think I would have minded too much." Fred settled a hand on Hermione's shoulder and brushed his thumb against her cheek, "This year is going to be rather hectic for the both of us. I'm not sure I'll get to see you as much as I'd like to."

"We'll manage. Don't expect me to snog you in the middle of the Great Hall though," Hermione narrowed her eyes a bit at the wizard in front of her.

"I know; I'll find a nice dark corner for us, I promise."

Hermione felt the blush spread all the way to her ears.

* * *

 _Haha, how did you all like the loophole?_

 _This chapter was pretty fun to write so I really hope you all liked it. And... Hogwarts is sooooooo close!  
_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***With reviews... more is always better...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	23. Chapter 23

_Hey!_

 _Can't thank you all enough for Following, Favoriting and Reviewing! Jily71102, FoxFireAngels, Primrue, GinnyPotter6891, and alicedeepdarkwonderland; you are all such wonderful people. Thanks! =)_

* * *

Fred's POV

The trip back to Hogwarts turned out to be a great success for the twins. _Everyone_ wanted a sample of their Skiving Snackboxes. Fred and George made sure to explain in detail what actually happened when you ate one of the sweets so there would be absolutely no surprises.

Even the Slytherin students seemed, at least a little, fascinated by the idea of the sweets. Fred made sure to give them all the thorough warning about the Snackboxes, and made sure to exaggerate the warning that the sweets would dissolve as soon as they pulled up to Hogsmeade. He wanted to trust the students dressed in green, but it was difficult to break such a long ingrained practice. Hermione had been right though; there was no reason to exclude an entire house just because of rivalries and a few members ill will toward Gryffindors.

After the twins had finally distributed of all of the samples, the twins made their way to the compartment that they usually shared with Lee Jordan, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson.

"Is it true then; are you really dating Hermione?" Lee asked even before the twins had a chance to sit down.

George almost rolled off the bench laughing as Fred stiffly chuckled, "Um, yea. Hermione and I are dating."

"Really? Hermione _Granger_?!" Lee's eyes grew a bit wide as he exaggerated the witch's name.

"Yes. Hermione Jean Granger; what of it? It's not like she's got three heads or anything… she's just a girl, like Alicia and Angie," Fred felt a surge of defensiveness as he looked at Lee. It was a strange feeling since they were almost always on the exact same page.

"Well, that's not true," Alicia smirked a little, "Hermione's insanely smart. She's brighter than most of the school, including the Ravenclaws. And she's best friends with Harry Potter…"

"Though being friends with Harry right now, doesn't seem to be a positive thing," Angie added in a hollow voice. She passed her copy of the Daily Prophet to George who sat beside her, "They've gotten progressively _less_ creative with how they call Potter a liar as the summer's gone on. I'd hate to see what they end up calling him by the time Christmas comes round if this continues."

George glared at the newspaper and crumpled it up into a tight ball before handing it over the Fred.

"What if I had wanted to look that over?" Fred tried not to smile as he looked at his twin.

"You didn't want to read that… trust me."

* * *

But the time the food trolley rolled by their compartment, everyone had been caught up on each other's summer happenings. They all bought a few treats to tide themselves over until the welcoming feast.

Angelina moved herself to the floor and began pulling out parchment with charts, names and elaborate plays from her bag. In mere seconds, their carriage resembled Scribbulus Writing Instruments.

"What in Merlin's name is all this Angie?" George asked as everyone else in the compartment began to laugh.

"Well, this is all the team information that Wood left me after he graduated last year. I'm trying to figure out what we're going to have to do to win the cup this year and I need to find an adequate keeper," Angelina mumbled as she bent over a list of names that looked to be in Oliver's handwriting, if Fred remembered correctly.

George sat down next to Angie and began talking to her animatedly about the names he could make out in their old captain's scribble.

Fred smiled to himself as he watched his twin and one of his best friends interact. He had always liked Angelina; he had even asked her to the Yule Ball last year thinking that they would have hit it off. But their one date had made them realize that there was no spark there. Fred had been a bit terrified that Angie would be offended, but she had thankfully felt the same. She even joked that maybe she had tried the wrong Weasley twin…

* * *

The carriage was empty except for Fred; everyone else was wondering about or getting changed into their uniforms. The train was beginning to slow down as they approached the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Fred held out the only Skiving Snackbox he hadn't handed out to the student population.

There was a quick knock at the compartment door and he looked up to find Hermione letting herself into the compartment, "Hello."

"Hi there," Fred sat up a little straighter.

The witch offered a shy smile and sat down, "How did your samples do?"

"Splendidly; they were a complete hit," Fred tugged playfully on the end of her neat braid, "Thank you for the idea to spread them around to everyone."

"I'm sure you and George would have come to the same conclusion about not excluding an entire house. You are fairly good businessmen," she said this with such conviction that Fred couldn't help but chuckle.

"I appreciate the faith, but Georgie and I can get rather stubborn at times. We're still learning, so you get full credit for this one." Fred felt his mouth lift into one of his cocky smiles, "So did something go terribly wrong in your compartment or did you just miss me?"

Hermione sighed heavily, "Can it be both?"

The smile fell from Fred's face and he wore a concerned expression as he listened to the witch explain the brief encounter with Draco Malfoy and this thugs.

"… I wanted to punch him again. I mean can you imagine? Malfoy is completely sadistic; coming into our compartment just to remind Harry that he wasn't a Prefect…"

A wide, wicked grin began to take over Fred's face.

Hermione looked a bit taken aback. She furrowed her eyebrows angrily, "Why are you smiling, Fred?"

"You punched Malfoy?" Fred realized that his voice was probably far too cheerful, but he didn't seem to have control over his emotions at the moment, "You actually _punched_ Draco Malfoy?!"

The witch's cheeks flared and turned a startling shade of red, "Oh that…"

Fred scoffed, "No. You cannot simply say 'I punched Malfoy' and get away with not explaining."

Hermione met his gaze and gulped uncomfortably, "Well, it was during my third year. Malfoy was being an insensitive prat and I lost my temper and punched him… I might have broken his nose…"

The wizard burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

"Fred… please stop. It's all a bit embarrassing," Hermione hunched down in her seat and covered her face slightly. "I completely lost my temper, and it felt exhilarating at the time… but it was foolish of me."

He grabbed Hermione's arms and pulled the witch tightly against his chest, "Are you kidding? That's the most amazing thing I've heard in ages. I wish I had been there to see the look on his face; I'm so proud of you!"

"That doesn't help me with the foolish feeling," Hermione frowned a little at the twin, but Fred could see a little spark behind her eyes.

"Oi! That was uncalled for, Granger." He tried to look stern, but Fred was sure his laughing was giving him away, "I'm trying to be the supportive sort here. Isn't that what boyfriends are supposed to do?"

The witch rolled her eyes but there was a small smile in place, "Oh please, we both know you're just happy that I'm capable of losing control."

"Yes, well sometimes _letting go_ is what's needed for a situation instead of trying to control it more," Fred smiled sincerely this time.

"Oh please... I thought you two had established a no public snogging rule," George barged into the compartment with Angelina and they sat down on the opposite bench.

Hermione pulled herself back, much to Fred's disappointment, "Hi Angelina; George."

"Hello Hermione," Angie smiled apologetically to the couple as she elbowed George.

Fred sighed a bit defeated, and gave Hermione's hand a quick squeeze, "I'll see you at the feast then?"

She nodded her head, "Save me a seat?"

" 'Course."

Fred did recognize the little shift that Hermione made right before she finalized a decision; but he was still completely surprised by her action.

Before Hermione stood to leave, she leaned forward and pecked him on the lips, "Bye."

George gave a low whistle as the younger witch fled the compartment.

"Any comments and I'll hex something valuable," Fred wasn't sure how much weight his threat would carry while he was beaming, so he threw the Skiving Snackbox sample at George's head as well.

His twin caught it easily and ignored the warning, "You know Angie, I think Fred's gotten meaner since he started dating Granger."

"No, I think it's more of a protectiveness thing," Angelina smiled sweetly, "It's actually very cute."

"Well, I was just reminded that Hermione Granger is definitely _not_ a damsel in distress; she doesn't need protecting," Fred's face broke into a wide grin again as he imagined Hermione punching Malfoy in the face.

"It's good that you realize that, but that doesn't mean you can't play backup for her," Angie suggested with complete seriousness.

The train suddenly jolted to a halt; they had arrived at Hogsmeade station. Fred immediately turned to George as he held out his hand to display the little square sweet.

They watched as the Snackbox slowly broke down into a pile of sugar then dissolved all together.

"Wicked spell, Freddie."

* * *

 _A little extra fluff for you all since fifth year is a bit dark... we'll just have to see where it goes. Thoughts?!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***More Reviews please!  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	24. Chapter 24

_Oh man, I'm so sorry for the radio silence. Life has been kicking my butt this week._

 _Of course, huge thank yous to everyone who Followed, Favortied and Reviewed last chapter. BCgurlie, TheLunaGoddess, aliceindeepdarkwonderland, Cora DeBlaere, RedPanda31, GinnyPotter6891, and dungbombacidpops; you make me smile. =)_

* * *

Hermione's POV

Hermione was beginning to get a headache from all the thoughts and concerns that were flying through her head.

First the Sorting Hat's song sounded like it was trying to warn everyone of impending doom and darkness threatening the castle. And now Dolores Umbridge, who was also Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and apparently tried her very hardest to get Harry expelled, was now their Defense against the Dark Arts professor.

"What does this mean?" Ron asked a bit impatiently.

"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts…" Hermione noticed that her voice was a bit muffled since she was clinching her teeth so tightly together.

Everyone in the Great Hall suddenly began to shift and stand up; Dumbledore must have dismissed the school to bed.

"Oh no! Ron, we're supposed to lead the first years to the tower," the witch shot up out of her seat.

"Right; come on you lot," Ron appeared a bit annoyed that the first years a little ways down the table barely moved as he spoke to them, "Oi; midgets!"

"Ronald!"

There was a chuckle and a light touch to Hermione's back as she rounded on Ron, "Take a breath Hermione. Ronnikins didn't mean anything by it; and you have to admit that the firsties are awfully small this year."

Hermione felt her frown deepen.

"Alright… how about you cheer up and show Ronald how to be a good prefect, or I won't kiss you goodnight?" Fred waggled his eyebrows suggestively and smirked.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance, but she forced a smile onto her face before walking off to collect the Gryffindor first years. She caught herself with a little genuine smile in place as George made a comment about her somber mood and Fred proclaimed that he would have her happy again before curfew.

* * *

"But how will we figure out how to get around the castle if the staircases keep moving?!"

Hermione stifled a laugh as Ron continued to be badgered by one of the new first year boys. The little wizard seemed to be enamored by the older boy and was trying desperately to engage Ron in conversation. The boy didn't even glance in Hermione's direction when asking his questions.

"Well, don't dawdle between classes. That way you have enough time to find where your next lesson is being held." The young boy looked thankful for Hermione's response, but still seemed disappointed that Ron had not answered any of his questions.

Ron sighed heavily as he looked at Hermione for help; she really couldn't offer him any and simply smiled as they continued to lead the group of new Gryffindors up to the tower.

"What's your name," Ron asked the small brown headed boy as he was opening his mouth to ask another question.

The little boy's face lite up, "Elijah Smith. And you're one of the Weasley's." The first year said this with such conviction that Hermione burst out laughing.

"Uh… yea. Ron Weasley. How do you know that… and how do you know there are more of us?"

Hermione instructed the group of first years to get onto the moving staircase quickly and to remain together. She smiled at the first years and they all smiled hesitantly back at her as the conversation between Ron and Elijah continued.

"My brother's told me all about you. You're friends with Harry Potter and you have a bunch of siblings. My brother warned me to stay away from your older brothers, the twins. He said they're troublesome…" the boy expression looked more thrilled than concerned in Hermione's opinion.

"They can be; just be wary if they offer you any sweets. But since you're all Gryffindors, I wouldn't worry too much. Most of their pranks are harmless," Hermione stated with what she hoped was a serious expression. She wanted the first years to trust her and come to her if they needed assistance with anything, but the witch also wanted to convey a sense of authority since she _was_ a prefect.

All the children nodded their heads.

Elijah shifted nervously as the group stood still and waited for the moving stairs to settle.

"What's wrong now, Smith?" Ron asked with a sigh. Hermione shot him a short glare and shook her head; he needed to remember to be patient with the brand new students.

"Well, it's just…" the boy hung his head, "My brother said some other things. I don't want to believe him, of course! And since you told me that the twins are alright, I'm starting to think maybe he's wrong about this too… which could actually be really bad."

Hermione waved the group on as they walked up the stairs to the fifth floor, "Why don't you tell us what it is and Ron and I will try to help you sort it out?"

Elijah looked to her with wide brown eyes, "I… I'm not sure… I don't think you'll want to hear what he said."

"Why not?" Ron's voice seemed a bit more even and actually sounded a bit understanding; Hermione felt a bit of pride for her friend.

"Because… well, you two are friends with Harry Potter. Right?" they could barely hear Elijah as he asked this question.

Concern flooded Hermione's brain, "Yes. Harry is our _best_ friend."

"Then I don't want to say it," the boy frowned deeply and tried to hide behind one of his new housemates.

Ron sighed again, but Hermione noted that this time it sounded more sympathetic than impatient, "Come on Elijah. You were sorted into Gryffindor for a reason. We're known for our bravery here; out with it, whatever it is."

Hermione saw the young boy swallow in a humorous exaggerated way before he spoke up again.

"My brother says that… he's not sure if Harry Potter told the truth about..." the boy looked around the hallway frantically as if something was going to jump out from behind a suit of armor, "… You-Know-Who."

"You mean, your brother said Harry was a _liar_ ," Ron almost growled the words, but he made sure not to direct his scowl at the first years.

"Everyone is entitled to their options, Elijah. But Ron and I believe and support Harry. He wouldn't lie about something as like this," Hermione took up the rear as Ron led the students up the last flight of stairs and up to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Alright, listen up you lot. If I catch any of you saying Harry lied about You-Know-Who, I'll hex you myself," Ron stated as he rounded on the first years, who were still waiting to be told the password.

"Ronald!" Hermione glowered from the back of the group.

"Fine! You can not want to believe what Harry said, you can even call what he said a lie if it makes you feel better. But if I caught any of you calling Harry himself a _liar_ , I will find some way to put you into detention," Ron looked completely serious as he threatened the little students.

"Ron, that's a blatant abuse of power…"

"I won't amend the warning again, Hermione. You heard the Sorting Hat blubber on about uniting with the other houses. But how are we supposed to get along with the rest of the school if we aren't united in our own house? I'm sure the first years aren't the only ones with doubts about Harry…" Ron turned his back on the group and clearly stated, "Sneakoscope."

The Fat Lady bowed her head and her portrait swung open to allow them all into Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

 _Not a lot of Fred and Hermione this chapter, SORRY! Wanted to have some Prefect Hermione and throw in some interaction with Ron as well as set up some foundation for the coming year. More Fremione next chapter I swear! And it will post much faster than this chapter did..._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***I love reviews!  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	25. Chapter 25

_Hello there!_

 _Thank you to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter! MRSDARRENCRISS589, aliceindeepdarkwonderland, Hermioneweasley, GinnyPotter6891, and Primrue; you are all so amazing. =)_

* * *

Fred's POV

Fred was appalled.

There really wasn't any other way to express exactly how he felt. He could have coloured his thoughts with a few expletives, but the bare bones of his opinion was just… Delores Umbridge was appalling.

The seventh years had just finished their first lesson with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and were all headed to dinner now.

"… _seriously?!"_

" _Yea, I heard from one of the fifth years."_

" _Harry Potter called Umbrage a liar… to her face?"_

" _Basically. He brought up Cedric, said something about Umbridge thinking that he dropped dead all on his own."_

" _No way! Really?"_

" _Apparently it was really crazy and tense. And it all started because Potter's friend, Granger, started questioning Umbridge's teaching methods."_

George snickered under his breath as the pair of younger Ravenclaws passed into the Great Hall and made their way over to their table, "Looks like our little friends are already getting themselves into trouble. Especially that girlfriend of yours."

"Oh please, like you didn't think Umbridge was a complete wanker as soon as she opened her tiny evil mouth," Fred tried to look offended, but he found himself almost beaming as he imagined Hermione talking back to the toad like professor.

When the twins sat down at the Gryffindor table, Fred scanned the students for his favorite witch, but she was nowhere to be found.

He got Harry and Ron's attention and they shrugged when asked about her. They were completely oblivious to Hermione's location.

"Maybe she's in the library trying to find a way to get Umbridge sacked," Ginny offered. "The fourth years haven't even had a class with her yet and I already loath her."

Fred transfigured a napkin into a takeaway container and shoveled some food into it. He made a few quick sandwich for himself out of the dinner rolls and roast beef at the house-elves had prepared that night.

"I'll see you later tonight for some product testing, right?" George raised an eyebrow at his twin's haste, but still seemed to be smirking.

"Of course; I'll see you then," Fred nodded and hurried out of the Great Hall.

* * *

The library was practically deserted when Fred walked through the doors. Even Madam Pince was at dinner.

It didn't take very long to find her; Hermione was seated at one of the study carrels by the window overlooking the quidditch pitch. She sat with her legs carefully tucked under her chair, and her head leaned on her closed fist as her eyes few back and forth over the pages of the book that was in her lap.

Fred almost didn't want to disturb her; she looked so content sitting there with her books.

But when he stepped forward again and stubbed his toe slightly on one of the bookshelves, Fred swore very loudly.

Hermione looked up and smiled at the hopping wizard, "Hello."

"Hey," Fred huffed as he pulled a chair from the neighboring table and settled in next to the witch. He placed the container of food on the table in front of her, "Brought you some dinner since you seem to have forgotten where the Great Hall is."

"Thank you," Hermione's smile grew and she opened the box and extracted a roll, "How was your first day?"

Fred shrugged, "Fine. Not as interesting as yours apparently."

A light dusting of color rose on the witch's cheeks, "People are talking about that already?"

"It's Hogwarts; gossip travels more than just _quickly_ here," Fred muttered as he lifted the cover of Hermione's book so that he could read the title, " _Decoding the Dark Arts_ … bit advanced for a fifth year; though I guess not really advanced for you. But why are you looking through that?"

"I'm trying to teach myself. We're not going to learn anything from Umbridge, so this is my solution," Hermione sighed heavily and speared some of the beef with the stolen fork that Fred had provided.

"So what they're saying around the castle is true then? You spoke up Umbridge about how she plans on _teaching_ us?"

She nodded her head, "Yes. I really shouldn't have though. Oh stop looking so proud," Hermione covered her face as Fred smile became blinding again. "I was disrespectful to a professor. And if I hadn't questioned her, Harry might not have gotten himself into trouble!"

"Hermione Granger… I thought you were smarter than that." Fred contorted his face so that his wide grin was just a subtle smirk now.

The witch peaked at him through her fingertips, "What are you talking about Fred?"

"Harry Potter will always get himself into trouble; he does not need help doing so," Fred took Hermione's hand and pulled it away from her face, "And I'm fairly certain that you're one of the people who helps keep him out of harm's way."

"Not this time," she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Harry received a week's worth of detention with the toad."

Hermione's hand flew up to cover her mouth; she looked completely stunned at her own word usage.

Fred bit the inside of his cheek to keep from howling with laughter. The distraught look on Hermione's face seemed to help keep his reaction in check as well.

"I shouldn't have said that… that was awful of me…"

"It's fine Hermione. I won't tell anyone that you're actually normal like the rest of us," He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead in a comforting gesture.

"Ha ha…" the witch gently slapped Fred's arm as he teased her.

"So, what else are you hiding from?" Fred asked as he leaned back in his seat and arranged himself so that he could drape his arm across the back of Hermione's chair.

Fred watched the amusement completely dissolve from her eyes, "Oh… just… just more people who don't believe Harry. It's not very comfortable in my dorm at the moment and Ron said that Harry's having some similar issues in theirs as well."

"Who's giving Harry trouble?" Fred mentally went through the list of fifth year boys in Gryffindor and couldn't distinguish for himself who would be stirring things up.

"Seamus Finnigan. Ron said that he called Harry a liar, but I can't imagine Seamus saying that," Hermione leaned her head on Fred's shoulder.

He was shocked; Fred had always liked Seamus. The boy had become a bit of a legend around Gryffindor for his mishaps with magic that usually ended with something exploding. Seamus had always seemed to get along swimmingly with Harry too, so this bit of information was sad to say the least, "That's a shame. He and Harry always seemed to get along. And who's bothering you about all this?"

Hermione sat up again and rolled her eyes, "Lavender Brown. She's completely ridiculous. Kept going on and on about how there wasn't any proof of what Harry said about You-Know-Who and how she couldn't understand why anyone would believe such a blatant lie."

"Did you set her straight?" Fred frowned at the exasperated expression that had taken over Hermione's face.

"No, it's better not to engage her. She usually loses interest in subjects quickly, so I'm hoping she'll find some other rumor to cling onto soon so I won't have to avoid my dorm for much longer."

"You can always come visit me in my dorm," Fred smirked and waggled his eyebrows playfully.

"I'm… I don't…" Hermione stumbled over her words as her whole face flushed, "I don't think we've been dating long enough for you to suggest or even joke about that yet."

A small, genuine smile tugged at Fred's lips, "Sorry. I'll store that one away until later then. Maybe when we've gotten to the point where you can simply say _'whatever you say Fred'_ and roll your eyes at me."

Hermione bit her lip and nodded her head, "That sounds like a plan."

"Well, I have to meet up with George to go over some things for the shop," Fred tugged at one of the loose curls that fell down the witch's back, "Will you be cross with me if I kiss you goodbye?"

"No, just no snogging," Hermione stated simply as he leaned closer.

"I already told you, Hermione; that's for dark corners that we'll go exploring for later on."

* * *

 _Mrs - here ya go! And there are more on the way._

 _alice - thanks! The firsties were fun to write._

 _Hermione - good point. We will have to see what happens._

 _Ginny - yup! I wanted that family to have a redeemable child too. I really don't like Zacharia..._

 _Rue - thank you, that's really sweet._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***Reviews are the best...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'_


	26. Chapter 26

_Hello. This Holiday season was ridiculous. I quit. I would much rather be writing..._

 _Thank you to all who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter. SeverusSnape'sLove, Helen, pianomouse, aliceindeepdarkwonderland, and GinnyPotter6891; you all are wonderful. =)_

* * *

Hermione's POV

The next night Hermione had tried to go down to dinner with the rest of the school, but the looks that were being thrown in Harry's direction were just too much for her to take. She grabbed Ron and Harry's arms after they had taken some hasty mouthfuls of food and lined their pockets with dinner rolls and the trio made their way back up to the common room.

It had been an… _interesting_ day. Hermione slumped into one of the chairs by the roaring fire and sighed.

The day hadn't started off very well; it had been rainy and very grey. Double Charms and Double Transfiguration had almost made her head spin, even though she had been the only one to successfully perform the vanishing spell. Care for Magical Creatures had been quite enjoyable until Malfoy had sparked Harry's temper. And Herbology had been fine until Professor Sprout had added another essay to the growing pile of homework from the day.

"Bollocks… I'm going to have to leave soon for detention," Harry muttered as he checked his watch. He winced a little as he rubbed his scar.

Ron hadn't noticed the painful expression on his friend, but he sounded sympathetic at the reminder of the detention, "It's alright Harry, we'll just see you afterwards."

"Yes, maybe we can all try to get some of this homework done when you get back," Hermione offered him a encouraging smile as Harry handed off his school bag to her.

"Brilliant," he sounded dejected, but there was a hint of a smile on his face as he looked at Hermione, "something to look forward to."

After Harry had left, Ron made a comment about needing fresh air and bolted from the common room before Hermione could say a word.

She dragged all three of the school bags that she was now guardian of and took over one of the study tables. Hermione removed another Defense book from her tote and began reading about the importance of shield charms.

* * *

Hermione didn't even notice Fred approach her table until he quickly kissed the top of her head and loudly banged the neighboring chair as he sat down.

"More Defense?" the wizard asked as Hermione found a scrap of parchment to bookmark the page.

She nodded, "Of course. Only way I'm going to learn anything this year. Unless you want to teach me some dueling spells?"

Fred snorted, "Sorry, Granger. I'm alright at Defense, but I would definitely not be confidant enough to teach anyone. Charms _maybe_ , Defense Against the Dark Arts… no."

"Well, are you and George going to be alright with your N.E.W.T.'s?" Hermione felt a bit of guilt and panic as she remembered that the fifth years weren't the only ones who had to worry about larger than normal amounts of homework and pressure from ministry tests.

"Don't worry about us; we'll be fine. No one expects us to do well on those anyway," Fred winked at her and began skimming through the Defense book.

Hermione felt her eyebrows furrow and she was a bit embarrassed by the aggravated edge she heard in her own voice, " _I_ expect you to do well." She quickly adjusted her voice so it only sounded a bit annoyed now, "You and George are brilliant. And I know this year doesn't mean much to you both academically since you're hoping to open a shop... but I hope you will still take your classes seriously. And no matter how good you are at Charms, I'm sure you could still learn something from Professor Flitwick."

Fred's smile basically took over his entire face by the time Hermione had finished her rant, "You are very cute when you're cross."

"Oh Merlin…" Hermione felt her cheeks heat up immediately and she quickly tried to hide her face.

"Sorry, sorry… I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Fred chuckled lightly as he scooted his chair closer to hers and wrapped an arm around her. "Thanks, Hermione… for thinking so highly of me and George."

Hermione pulled back slightly so that she could see Fred's cheery brown eyes. She noticed that his eyes had little golden flecks offsetting the light brown color that he and George shared. Hermione bowed her head a bit; she found herself unnecessarily shy, "Sorry if that was too forward. Harry and Ron complain I get too bossy at times."

"Well, I like that you're bossy; embrace it Granger." Fred leaned in a little closer, "I wouldn't have you any other way."

Hermione was surprised by how relaxed she suddenly felt. It might have been a little relief, but it was mostly happiness at the prospect of being accepted just as she was. She closed the short distance between them and pecked Fred right on the mouth.

"Come on Fred, stop snogging your girlfriend and get your arse over here," George sounded a little short as he spoke, but Hermione saw the small smile he quickly offered her before he turned on his twin. "We need to test out the Fainting Fancies and see if they affect everyone the same."

"How are you testing that?" Hermione asked, a bit afraid of the response.

Fred gave her a tight one armed hug before standing up and joining his brother, "Have to test them on others and see if they react the same. Don't worry, we enacted the same rule Hogwarts has for quidditch; no firsties. Everyone knows the risks, they're all being compensated and we have Lee and Katie standing by with healing spells and antidotes."

Hermione frowned.

"We wouldn't test them on other people if we didn't think they were safe. We just need to know that the products are strong enough to deliver the advertised result on everyone," Fred smiled, but Hermione noticed that he didn't add any witty comments to his explanation.

"You're sure?" She appreciated the seriousness approach he was using; Hermione felt calmer about the idea but was still a bit wary.

"Promise."

* * *

 _Uhg... I really think I will be taking the holidays off next year. They are far too stressful..._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***I could really use some reviews... even though the Fanfiction site is being a butt and not actually posting them.  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!  
_


	27. Chapter 27

_Good Morning! (Or 'Good whatever-time-of-day-it-is-for-you.)_

 _Huge hugs and thank yous to anyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter. Blinck22, thanks so much for the kind words._

 _Decided I couldn't wait, so here's the next chapter!_

* * *

Hermione's POV

The rest of the evening passed normally as Hermione read more on Defense and outlined two of the three essays that had been assigned that day.

Ron returned first, he was sweaty, red in the face and looked utterly exhausted. He had given a short wave and muttered something about taking a shower before disappearing up into the boys' dormitories. But he still hadn't come back down.

Harry returned an hour later looking equally exhausted. He refused to elaborate on how detention with Umbridge had gone, other than saying that she made him do lines. But Hermione knew that there was more to the story; Harry was troubled by something but he wasn't ready to explain it out loud yet.

She tried to be supportive, but Harry was in one of his ghastly moods. So with both of her best friends keeping obvious secrets from her, Hermione's patients grew thin and she decided to retire early that night.

* * *

Hermione walked into her dorm and began her nightly ritual to get ready for bed. She tucked her school bag between her four post bed and her nightstand, retrieved her shower caddy and made her way down to the Gryffindor bathrooms. After she had washed away the stress from the long day, she changed into a comfortable pair of plaid sleep pants and a dark blue t-shirt that she had brought down to the lavatory with her. She waved her wand over her damp hair, using a detangling spell that Ginny had taught her, and spent a couple minutes in front of the mirror braiding her hair.

When Hermione returned to the fifth year dormitories, the other girls were going about their own nighttime rituals and gossiping quietly as they put things away and changed.

"…I really can't believe it though. Do you think it's really true?" Parvati mumbled as Hermione entered the room unnoticed.

"I have no idea… her dating a seventh year… well, her dating at all sounds a bit farfetched, really." Lavender sounded awestruck about whatever she was discussing, but it didn't really interest Hermione. She was just happy that the two had moved on from their hateful doubts about Harry. "I mean, I could imagine her with Ron maybe… but not one of the twins. They're so fit."

Hermione almost dropped the thick defense book on her foot.

The four other girls in the room snapped their heads around and met Hermione's eyes with looks of pure shock, "OH… hi Hermione."

"Hi…" Hermione wanted to run. She had never really gotten along well with any of the girls in her dorm; she mostly just tolerated them. She really wanted to flee the room as she noticed every gaze on herself, but there was something pulling at her to stay, "What is going on?"

"Nothing…"

"Nothing."

Lavender and Parvati spoke in in unison, which made them sound even _more_ suspicious of course. It seemed that they were the two instigating the gossip. The other two girls in the dorm immediately turned away from the commotion and went about their own business.

Hermione sighed heavily. She knew if she didn't just address the gossip, these two would spread their own version of the truth school wide within twenty-four hours. As much as she wanted to simply ignore this blather, as was her usual tactic, there was a tiny bit of defensiveness that was bubbling in Hermione's gut that was proving difficult to ignore. "Is there something you'd like to ask me?" She regretted asking the question as soon as Lavender opened her mouth.

"Are you really dating one of the Weasley twins?" The words flew out of Lavender's mouth so quickly it took a second for Hermione to process what had been asked. Lavender and Parvati quickly crossed the room and huddled close to Hermione as they waited for an answer.

"Um, yes. Fred and I are dating," she tried to sound casual and unaffected by the sudden, close attention.

"Seriously? But he's a seventh year!" Parvati exclaimed with wonder and surprise painted all over her features.

Hermione felt like she had missed a crucial part of the conversation, "Yes, he is. Is there something wrong with that?"

The two intruding girls shared a strange look. Lavender cocked her head to the side, making herself look a little like a sad puppy, "We're just worried for you, Hermione."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione felt _completely_ lost in the conversation now.

"Well, I know for a _fact_ that both of the Weasley twins have had a few more relationships than you. And, I don't want to sound judgmental, but it doesn't sound like any of them ended _well_ …" Lavender spoke very animatedly as she unloaded every bit of gossip that she had ever heard about Fred or George.

"… Lavender, they are separate individuals you know…"

But Lavender didn't seem to hear Hermione as she tried to interject. She and Parvati continued to disclose information that they perceived as relevant for Hermione to know.

"… and with them being seventh years… I mean all seventh year boys expect certain _things_. They're much more experienced than the blokes we're stuck in classes with. I'm very afraid that your twin will be expecting things that you're just not ready for," Lavender reached out and took Hermione's hand in a comforting gesture.

" _Fred_ ," Hermione had to concentrate very hard so that she did not blow up at the two daft witches in front of her, "I'm dating Fred. And I'm sure I can look after myself when these issues you speak of present themselves. Thank you, very much, for your concern."

Hermione turned on her heal and quickly exited the dorm room before her temper got the better of her.

* * *

 _Next chapter should be up tomorrow. What did you all think of Lavender and Parvati? hehe..._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***I could really use some reviews... even though the Fanfiction site is being a butt and not actually posting them.  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_


	28. Chapter 28

_Hello!_

 _Thanks for all the Follows, Favorites and Reviews for last chapter! Primrue, Wizard FLower, Evaforrestrogers, GInnyPotter6891, MissesE and hogwartswonderland; you all are amazing and I love you!_

 _And as promised..._

* * *

Fred's POV

"Well, that actually went a lot better than I imagined it would," George stated as they walked back toward Gryffindor tower. They had dismissed the students that had volunteered to be trial subjects about an hour before, so the twins walked into the common room alone.

The information that had been gathered that night gave them both very high hopes for the future. Everyone had been affected by the Fainting Fancies in identical ways, so they were very hopeful that the other Snackboxes would work well with every type of person also.

"Are you mad? They worked perfectly; it was _much more_ than what I had imagined," Fred clapped his brother on the shoulder and couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.

George mirrored his twin's enthusiasm and chuckled, "Yea, well there's still plenty of work to be done. I need to tinker with those personal firecrackers. And you need to work on that charm that can induce daydreams so people can have a bit of fun during Binn's class. And there's mountains of research that needs to be finished before we finally rent a shop space."

Fred smirked and shook his head, "Can't you just enjoy the win, while we have it in front of us?" He chuckled as George rolled his eyes.

"Too much to do to secure our future Forge," George offered a tired smile before tilting his head over to the stairs leading up to the girls dormitories, "Speaking of futures…"

Fred shoved his brother playfully as he spotted Hermione on the top of the staircase, "Be up in a bit."

" _Sure_ you will…" George smiled wickedly and waved goodnight to the witch across the room.

Fred's wide smile falter a little as he took in the solemn expression that Hermione wore as she walked over to him.

"How was your testing?" Hermione asked. She had halted about a foot away from him and crossed her arms in a weird protective way.

"Great, actually," Fred creased his brow in confusion at the flat tone her voice had taken, "Everyone's alive and well; just as promised."

Hermione nodded her head and offered a tiny slip of a smile.

There was a beat of awkward silence right before Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She laid her head against his chest and Fred felt some tension leave her shoulders as she took a deep breathe.

"Hermione… what's happened?" Fred asked, a little unsure of what to do. He folded his own arms around the witch and bowed his head down slightly.

"It's nothing. Just stupid gossip that I'm trying to ignore," Hermione explained quietly. "I shouldn't allow myself to be affected by it all."

"Did Lavender Brown say something horrid about Harry again?"

Hermione sighed and shook her head, "No. She and Parvati spoke about you actually… and a lot about George. But I think that was mostly because they can't tell you two apart."

Fred chuckled, "Oh really? What did the great Gryffindor Gossip Queens have to say about the Weasley twins?"

"Nothing pleasant."

"What to talk about it? I'm pretty sure I have more accurate information than those two," Fred was trying very hard not to make inappropriate jokes about the two girls who were known throughout the whole castle as being gossip peddlers.

Hermione nodded her head and walked over to the small sofa that was right next to the fireplace. Fred noticed that she was rubbing her arms a bit, trying to use the friction for warmth. The castle did seem to get horribly drafty at night, even in September.

Fred pulled out an old Weasley jumper from his bag that his mum had knitted a few Christmases ago, and offered it to Hermione as they settled on the couch. She smiled sweetly and pulled the sweater on over her thin t-shirt.

The blue jumper, with the green stitched 'F' on the front, was slightly big on the petite witch. Hermione pulled the bottom hem down to her thigh and bunched up the sleeves so that more than just her fingers were exposed.

"So what unpleasant things have been said about me and Georgie?" Fred asked as he appreciated the sight of his girlfriend in one of his sweaters.

A little pink coloring dotted Hermione's cheeks, "They might have mentioned a few spectacularly failed relationships. I mean, I knew you dated other girls before we got together… but they were acting like those relationships ended in disastrous implosions."

Fred nodded his head and thought back, "Well, I dated three girls before you. One of them was just puppy love; it was third year, nothing serious. I dated one girl most of my fifth year, thought I really liked her but it was a bit of a mess. Both of us were hurt in the aftermath; don't really talk much to her anymore, but I wouldn't say it was disastrous. And I did go on one date with someone last year, but we found out we're much better as friends and it ended almost as quickly as it started." Fred promised himself that he would reveal the names if Hermione asked it of him, but she seemed satisfied with just the explanations.

Hermione's smile was visibly tight as she tucked her legs under herself, "I know this is probably just a broad stereotyping, but Lavender also went on about expectations that older boys can have."

"Merlin… I'm very tempted to hex that girls tongue to the roof of her mouth," Fred shook his head and huffed with exasperation. "The only expectations I have right now is for you and I getting to know each other better and maybe finding that dark corner that I keep mentioning would be perfect for snogging."

Fred took one of her hands and squeezed it gently, "Yes, every boy with a pulse wants much more than that; me included. But I'm not going to pressure or rush into that with you. I'm a fairly patient bloke; I thought I had made that clear." He teasingly tugged on the end of her plait.

Hermione leaned her head back onto the sofa and offered him a wary smile, "I told you it was stupid of me for letting their words get to me."

"No, never stupid," he said as he pulled the witch toward himself and guided her around so that her back was tucked against his side. Fred wrapped his arms round her from behind and smiled as Hermione laced her fingers through his, "Just don't be so reluctant to talk to me about things."

Fred felt the last bit of tense anxiety leave Hermione as she settled comfortably against him, "Alright."

* * *

 _Oh geez, more fluff! Thoughts on the abundance of fluff?_

 _Don't worry, story will keep moving along. I just needed then to hash it out a little; Hermione needed to voice concerns, Fred needed to assure her that despite being like every other teenage boy he was willing to wait for her. I know; aaawwwwww._

 _=)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***I could really use some reviews... even though the Fanfiction site is being a butt and not actually posting them.  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_


	29. Chapter 29

_Hello!_

 _Hugs to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last Chapter. Politelycynical, Nichole O, Primrue, Evaforrestrogers, pianomouse, Blinck22, BC gurlie, and CreateAnInsaneWorld; you guys rock!_

 _I couldn't wait... really need to work on that..._

* * *

Hermione's POV

The rest of the week passed in a bit of a blur.

Hermione went to class, ate meals, and tried to comfort Harry while also attempting to get more of the truth out of him. Harry still clamped his mouth shut every time she asked about how detention with the _toad_ had gone. Hermione had to remind herself numerous times that it was simply detention with a teacher… but with that teacher being Umbridge, who seemed to answer only to the Ministry, Hermione was very curious at what the detention actually entailed.

She also had a lot of trouble with the lies that Ron was telling her. Hermione knew that Ron wasn't studying by the 'Black Lake' or 'got turned about on the sixth floor.' And even though she would still continue to cover for him during their prefect patrol rounds, Hermione was just about to the point of hexing the boy for not telling her what was going on.

Hermione had had enough of her friends by the time Friday had come around.

But the silver lining in the whole fiasco of a first week had been Fred.

Even though Fred and George had been terribly busy with research and testing as soon as they stepped foot into Hogwarts, Hermione had felt like her boyfriend had at least made an effort to spend some time with her each day. They had made late night common room visits an almost everyday occurrence, and Fred had even walked her to class when he had a free period the day before.

It had been a very strange adjustment to get used to, but Hermione found the whole thing a little swoon worthy. She had never felt like a damsel or like she needed a knight, but it was quite amazing to have someone show her such affection.

Fred had also begun to make a point of acting extra sweet whenever they were in ear shot of Lavender or Parvati… this had become their other daily ritual, and Hermione was a little ashamed to admit that she thoroughly enjoyed it.

* * *

It had started in the library of all places. Fred had asked for Hermione's help with the daydream charm that he had been working on for a few months. They had gone to the library to find a particular book on Charms that Hermione had read last year while she had been researching for Harry during the Triwizard Tournament.

Hermione was scouring the shelves, muttering the titles to herself as she went along. Fred stood nearby wearing a sly smirk that didn't go unnoticed by the witch, "Why are you looking at me like you're trying to decide if you should turn my hair purple?"

Fred's expression shifted to look shockingly offended, before he flat-out snorted, "Nope, can't hide anything from you Granger…" He chuckled lightly and took a few steps so that he was directly beside her. Fred smiled a bit more sweetly than his usual genuine smile and whispered into her ear as he laid a hand at her waist, "We're being watched by your two favorite dorm mates."

"What, why?!" Hermione shifted a little to the left so that she could catch a glimpse of Lavender and Parvati as they poked their heads around the Divination bookcase.

"Probably to see if I'm every bit the gentleman that you've described to them," Fred smirked as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I really haven't said much to those two, other than trying to clarify that you and George are in fact separate people and should not be lumped together just because they are too lazy to figure out which of you is which," Hermione huffed a bit and glared in the direction of the two other witches.

Fred leaned in a little closer, "Well, I'm fairly certain that one of the reasons they brought up all that expectation rubbish was because they were jealous. Care to make them even greener?"

Hermione felt her stomach perform a miniature somersault. She was shocked that the feeling didn't scare her as much as it used to. A hesitant smile crossed her lips, "I thought you said snogging was for dark corners?"

Surprise flashed through Fred's eyes before a wicked grin took over his features, "Oh, I don't think an all out snogging will be necessary. Just one _really_ good kiss should suffice."

"And here I thought we were being all mature about what the Gossip Queens said," Hermione turned slightly so that she could easily stand on her toes and wrap her arms around his neck.

Fred carefully held her hips, so that Hermione wouldn't lose balance, and bowed his head slightly, "You and George are the only people I care to share my mature side with. The rest of the school can view me as whatever they like."

Hermione realized that Fred was waiting for her to make the final move; just to add more fuel to the jealous fire that the gossip mongers had already started. She inched forward and gently pressed her lips to Fred's. They stood there, enveloped in each others arms for a few seconds, slowly moving their lips together in a steady rhythm.

When they pulled apart, Hermione felt her cheeks flush and Fred grinned wildly at her as she ducked her head to hide her own smile.

That night, when Hermione walked into the fifth year dorm room, the other girls fall completely silent. It didn't seem to affect her though, and Hermione even reveled a little in the thought that her dorm mates were a little jealous. She knew that it was ridiculous and petty, but she had always felt a little like an outcast… ever since she arrived at Hogwarts. Harry and Ron had helped her adjust and feel accepted, but Fred had been the one to make her feel at home in the magical world.

* * *

But Friday had been a very interesting day indeed. Instead of hexing one of her best friends, Hermione finally found out what Ron had been hiding all week. And she was currently at a party celebrating his placement among the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Fred and George were tearing the mickey out of Ron for all the absurd lies that he came up with to cover for his keeper practicing. Hermione came to his rescue and playfully rebuffed the twins, citing how secret _they_ had been about their shop plans. She argued that extensive planning and a dash of insecurity was the reason all the Weasley's seemed to be keeping secrets.

Ron wore an expression of smug satisfaction when Fred dramatically grabbed George by the arm and exclaimed, "I thought Granger was supposed to be on my side?!"

Hermione found herself giggling uncontrollably as Fred pretended to sulk on his twin's shoulder.

Every Gryffindor seemed to fill the common room as word of the new keeper spread around the tower. Ron tried on Oliver Woods old robes, Angelina gave a stirring speech about how determined and hopeful she was for the coming quidditch season, and Fred and George said a few encouraging words about their little brother before the party took off into full swing and drinking games begun.

Hermione observed the games from between Fred and Ron. She didn't want to drink, so Fred insisted she be on his team instead so she wouldn't have to. He glared harshly at a sixth year who tried to force a glass of firewiskey into Hermione's hand. Though she never felt the need for a protector, it was nice to have someone who was willing to be one.

Hermione only left Fred's side when she spotted Harry enter through the portrait hole. She grabbed an extra butterbeer and handed it to her friend as they settled into their favorite chairs by the hearth, "How was your last detention?"

Harry shrugged, "It was fine." His words were short, but Hermione knew that the frustration wasn't directed at her. Harry looked around the room and took in the commotion, "It will be good having Ron on the team too. Maybe it will build his confidence a bit." He shared a small knowing smile with Hermione.

She shook her head, "You surprise me sometimes, Harry. You're much more observant than I give you credit for."

"Not sure how I should react to that," Harry wrinkled his nose at her before smirking, "I've also noticed that you and Fred have become more comfortable as well."

"Yes, well that's bound to happen when you continue to date someone," Hermione huffed, a little amazed that she didn't blush. She shifted uncomfortably; she knew it was time to address things head on, "I've noticed that you haven't been telling me the whole truth about your detentions."

Harry stayed silent and actually ignored her statement all together, "My scar hurt horribly today… when Umbridge touched my arm."

Hermione almost dropped her bottle of butter beer, "You have to tell McGonagall; you have to tell Dumbledore!" Her urgent whispers were easily ignored by the ruckus going on around them.

"McGonagall can't do anything and Dumbledore… he has plenty of other things to worry about," Harry began to peel away the edge of the butterbeer label, "Maybe I can Owl Sirius instead."

"No," Hermione chose her words carefully so that her friend would see reason without sparking his temper, "that's too dangerous, Harry. Owls can be intercepted too easily. I'm sorry, but it's not a good idea."

Harry signed heavily and nodded, "Yea… alright." He glanced around the room again, "I think I'm going to turn in early. I don't want to put a damper on Ron's party."

* * *

 _So, I think I have a fluff problem. I honestly didn't plan the first part of this chapter, it was sparked by a review from Nicole O. I did want them to be mature, but I still wanted it to be believable and for them to remain 'kids' while they still could. Wanted to show some insecurity and fun. And throwing in a little something to stick it to the gossip queens was just a plus I guess. lol._

 _What did you all think?_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
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 _***You're reviews keep me writing...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_


	30. Chapter 30

_Hi!_

 _Thank you for all the Follows, Favorites and Reviews last chapter._ _Nicole O, Politelycynical, GinnyPotter6891, and Primrue; you all rock!_

* * *

Fred POV

Fred was fairly proud of himself as he and George walked down to dinner the next morning. He and Hermione may not have found that dark corner yet, but they had definitely become much closer in just the first week of school. And he found it hilariously ironic that he had Lavender and Parvati to thank for it.

George had called his constant cheery disposition unbearable and rolled his eyes as they plopped down onto the Gryffindor table for breakfast. But it did not go unnoticed by Fred, that his twin sat himself down next to Angelina and began happily chatting away… when asked later, George's defense had been _'I simply found a more practical and enjoyable way of ignoring you when you've gone all Hermione on me.'_

Fred was a bit afraid that his brother would take offense to him devoting any spare moment he could find with Hermione, but George had rolled his eyes and chuckled. _'We spend plenty of time together Fred. Go entertain your girlfriend for a bit.'_

But Fred's happiness was interrupted when the post arrived.

* * *

Fred sat himself next to Hermione, with Ron and Harry directly across from them. 'Good morning' was exchanged among the boys between bites of toast and jam; while Hermione shyly accepted a kiss on the cheek from her boyfriend. This of course caused Harry and Ron to dramatically advert their eyes causing a few people within earshot to laugh.

The three boys had almost convinced Hermione to come down to the pitch to watch the team practice, even despite their growing pile of homework, when a sea of owls flooded the Great Hall.

A screech owl landed in front of Hermione and dutifully held its leg out before it would relinquish the paper in its beak. The witch tucked a Knut into the leather satchel and even offered the bird a little bit of bacon, which it happily gobbled down, before taking off again.

Fred looked over Hermione's shoulder as she scanned the front page of the Daily Prophet.

"Anything interesting, today?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs.

"No," Fred answered before returning to his toast and jam.

Hermione opened the paper and disappeared behind it as the boys began talking about quidditch practice again. She gasped as she muttered something to Harry about Sirius's supposed location being mentioned, and then she pointed out a strange article about someone trespassing at the ministry at one o'clock in the morning.

It all sounded very suspicious to Fred, but he was certain that the Order was already on it, "I'm sure Moody and Tonks will sort things out." Hermione nodded her head. He was fairly certain that she understood that Fred had meant the entire Order, not just the two Aurors.

Another screech owl swooped in and landed in front of Ron this time.

"Did you forget something from home?" George had joked from a few people down the table.

Ron scowled as he untied the parchment, "No… and it's… it's not from home. It's from Percy."

George's cheerful expression immediately turned down, "What do you think _he_ wants?"

The question had been directed at Fred, and he simply didn't have a good response. "Maybe he's seen the error of his ways and wants Ron to help him apologize to Mum and Dad?"

"Bloody doubt that…" Ron opened the letter and began to read.

The letter was excruciatingly long.

And the more Ron read the more red Ron became.

Fred motioned for George to come over just as their younger brother was finishing the letter. Ron crumpled the paper up in his hands and threw it down on the table, "Percy's even more of a moron than we thought. He congratulated me on becoming prefect, but then went on and on about how Harry's a bad influence and I shouldn't be hanging around with him."

Hermione picked up the wadded up parchment and smoothed it out as best she could, "Percy also seems to think Ron's following in his footsteps… and he's very proud that Ron isn't following the 'Fred and George' route."

Fred was surprised by the calm manner she passed the paper back to Ron; he grew worried at the rage she was holding back. He placed a hand at the small of her back and noticed the witch's lip pull up a little at the edges before she spoke again, "Weren't your other brothers Bill and Charlie prefects too?"

Ron nodded his head and stabbed a sausage that was sitting helplessly on the plate in front of him. Fred could see the anger and doubt in his younger brother's eyes.

"Well, I would _much_ prefer you follow in one of their footsteps… if that's alright with you Ron." Hermione took back the Prophet and began skimming the pages again, acting as if the letter from Percy was nothing more than a mild inconvenience, "It's a shame, really. I used to think very highly of Percy until this summer."

Ron grunted and actually put the sausage back onto his plate without even taking a bite.

Hermione snapped at him before anyone else could comment, "Stop sulking, Ronald. You're _nothing_ like him. You'd never turn your back on your family or friends like Percy did."

Harry and George glanced at Fred with mixed looks of shock and humor, "What are you looking at me for? As much as I wish _that_ was because of me; I don't control what she says."

Hermione rounded on Fred and gave him a very narrowed look as everyone around them, including Ron, began to chuckle.

* * *

 _Happy Friday!_

 _I really wanted to show off more of Ron and Hermione's friendship. They still care for each other very much, and I wanted Hermione to lay into Percy a bit without it being too obvious... for the 'Fred and George route' comment and comparing one of her friends to himself._

 _Thoughts?_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***The more Reviews the better...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_


	31. Chapter 31

_Hey there!_

 _Thanks for all the Follows, Favorites and Reviews!_ _Selkura, jperks, awynn22, Nicole O, fleurSuoh, GinnyPotter6891, and MissesE; you all are the best._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Hermione POV

Hermione was completely beside herself. She just couldn't understand what had happened… first of all, how had Dumbledore allowed this to happen to his school… how could he allow Umbridge be named a High Inquisitor… why hadn't Harry just left it alone…

It felt very surreal during Defense class that day. Hermione had carefully planned out her conversation with Professor Umbridge. She had thought through _every_ outcome and predicted _every_ line the old toad had spoken. Hermione had planned on exposing some of the flaws in the Ministries teaching methods by using their own textbook against them.

But then Harry had gotten involved. She had tried to fend him off; tried to calm him down. As soon as Umbridge had docked Gryffindor points, Hermione had felt Harry stiffen beside her. She had quickly grabbed his arm under their desk and tried to silently communicate that she had the situation well in hand. But the touch just seemed to spur her friend on…

Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the trio's conversation with Sirius the night before. Harry's godfather had given them plenty of good information on Umbridge, but Hermione had almost screamed at the man for acting so childishly. Sirius's comment about James had been out of line and Hermione hated the effect that comment had had on her friend.

Hermione felt herself still fuming as she marched aimlessly around the castle. She thought about going outside to take a lap around the castle, but it was getting a little cooler now and she wasn't dressed for the current weather.

* * *

Before she even realized, Hermione found herself walking in front to the very door that had hidden away Fluffy and the Sorcerer's Stone during her first year at Hogwarts. The memory made her chuckle and roll her eyes. Ron, Harry and she had been so young back then… and yet they had survived all those test simply by working together. Hermione felt some of the anger begin to leave her.

"You all right, Granger?"

Hermione was pulled from her reminiscing by a very welcomed voice, "I fine. Just trying to calm down and _not_ flog Harry. What are you doing here?"

"Charms," Fred tilted his head in the direction of the Charms corridor and tried to keep his smile at bay, "What did our dear Mr. Potter do this time?"

"Oh, nothing… just got himself another week's worth of detention probably," Hermione shook her head and sighed, allowing her shoulders to sag. "I just don't understand him sometimes. I mean, even with Siri… _everyone_ telling him to not speak out against Professor Umbridge... It's what she wants; but even with all that…"

"Harry does seem to be getting himself into a lot of trouble earlier in the year than normal," Fred offered her one of his genuine smiles, reserved just for her, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hermione returned the easy grin and nodded her head.

Fred took her hand and led them over to an unused classroom next to Professor Flitwick's office. He did a quick spell over the room to wipe away all the dust and then threw his and Hermione's school bags onto a desk that was pushed against the far wall. Fred settled himself against one of the window seals and waited patiently as Hermione decided where to start, but she had no idea _where_ to begin.

"Well, do you know what Umbridge requires of people when they take detention with her?" Hermione asked, hoping that her boyfriend might have heard some rumors she hadn't yet.

"No; sorry. Doesn't seem like anyone else has gotten detention with the toad yet. Harry seems to be occupying her time."

Hermione started to pick at the edge of her fingernails, "Harry won't tell me anything about it other than, he's 'doing lines.' I don't quite believe him though. And when I asked Ron about it before his keeper tryouts, he didn't have any idea either."

"If Harry's actually keeping anything from you, I'm sure it's for good reason. Just give him some time; yea?" Fred had stepped in front of her and pulled her into a gentle embrace as she had vented.

"But he… I just…" Hermione sighed and felt a little defeated as she realized there wasn't really anything else that she could do for the time being, "Yes, alright."

She felt Fred silently chuckle, "You're starting to sound a bit like Ron when he gets all bent out of shape if Ginny's gone and done something."

Hermione's lips automatically curled upward, "I guess it could always be worse…"

"If it will make you feel better, I could try that charm that glues a person's tongue to the roof of their mouth," Fred offered with a sly smirk, "I was hoping to perfect that one sometime soon."

Hermione shook her head and covered her mouth, trying not to allow the laughter to escape her.

"Oh! Or maybe I could charm those horrid pink glasses of hers to have a blind spot for Harry, so she'll never see him while you're all in class."

As Fred continued to suggest ridiculous solutions to hiding or silencing Harry's defensive edge, Hermione gave in and openly laughed. She began to giggle so much that her side hurt and Fred forced her to sit down on one of the classroom tables. He had sat down next to her, on top of the desk, with his feet resting on one of the chairs.

When she had finally caught her breathe, Hermione laced her arm through his propped up elbow and leaned a cheek on his shoulder.

"We _could_ just convince Harry to not attend Defense class any longer. I know that it would be going against everything you believe in, but it would keep him out of trouble with _Umbridge_ at least…" Fred offered as he played with Hermione's fingers, "I bet Harry could teach himself enough Defense to get really decent marks on the O.W.L.'s anyway. From what Ron says, Harry's a natural. And didn't he get private lessons from Lupin when we had those Dementors about? Hermione?"

But Hermione had stopped listening after Fred had mentioned the O.W.L.'s.

"Hermione?"

The witch quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. She turned her full attention to Fred, "You're right, Harry could teach himself _more_ than enough to pass testing. He'd probably even get top marks if he actually applied himself. And with the right motivation he might even consider teaching some of us…"

The smile on Hermione's face was so wide now that her cheeks were already a little sore, "And it wouldn't just be for O.W.L.'s, it would be for preparation… to prepare us against the real world. With You-Know-Who back and the ministry not wanting to teach us out of fear of an overthrow... _this_ would be perfect."

Fred looked a little confused when Hermione turned to him and declared, "You're brilliant; thank you so much." She quickly leaned forward and kissed Fred full on the mouth before hopping off of the desk and gathering up her things.

"Thanks. Um… what did I do?" Fred chuckled as he saw the bouncing excitement that had come over his girlfriend.

"Because of you and your hilarious suggestions, I figured out a way to somewhat keep Harry out of trouble _and_ learn Defense Against the Dark Arts in a much more practical fashion."

* * *

 _Eeek! Sooo..._

 _I had always imagined that Hermione had some kind of plan up her sleeve when she confronted Umbridge about the textbook, so I decided to write that in._

 _Let me know what you all thought too!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are the best!_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_


	32. Chapter 32

_Hello!_

 _Hugs to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed._ _hogwartswonderland, GinnyPotter6891, Nichole O, jperks, and Primrue; you all are absolutely wonderful as always. =)_

* * *

Fred's POV

' _Happy Birthday.'_

Fred stared blankly at his own handwriting on the little slip of parchment. It was utterly ridiculous how insecure he was feeling about this.

It was just a birthday…

… No, it was _Hermione's_ birthday.

He'd never cared about another person's opinion this much and it was driving him mad.

"You alright, Freddie?" George asked when he noticed how exhausted his brother appeared, "And don't bother lying, your leg's doing that jumping, bouncing thing you tend to do when you're nervous."

Fred looked down at his traitorous leg and stilled it immediately, "Yea, just a bit concerned."

"About what?" George pulled off his old ratty Ireland t-shirt and pulled a clean white button down from Fred's pile of clothes.

"You know, if you actually laid out your clothes in the designated place, the elves would clean your shirts too," Fred stated as he snatched the shirt back and threw it over his white undershirt and tossed his one good tie around his neck like a scarf before his twin could filch that as well, "And for your information, it's Hermione's birthday today and I'm just worried she won't like the gift I got her."

George chucked a few dirty shirts onto his bed as she searched for a semi-clean button down acceptable for classes, "What did you get her?"

Fred held up a small rectangular package. He had wrapped it as soon as the owl had delivered it, just to make sure it remained a surprise, "It's a book about…"

"Oh, well I'm sure it will be fine than. She loves books doesn't she. I'm fairly certain Granger would _live_ in the Library if Madam Pince would allow it," George commented before he muttered a spell to straighten the tie he had found crumpled between his bed and bedside table.

"Uncalled for," Fred threw a wadded up piece of parchment that he had discarded earlier, he smirked when the paper ball hit his twin right in the middle of his forehead.

George held his hands up in surrender, "Now, now… no need to get all riled up. I was just trying to be supportive about your gift. You can't deny she loves books…" George chuckled as he tossed a few things into his school bag.

Fred returned the laughter, "Have I reached the point of insanity yet?"

"No, you've only been dating for a few months. As long as the book is hiding something outrageous, like a diamond necklace, you're still just regular moronic… not _insane_ yet."

Both of the twins smirked at this and quickly finished getting ready for classes before sprinting down to breakfast.

* * *

Fred wasn't able to meet up with Hermione outside of meals until later that night. Classes had yielded a small mountain of homework for them both, and Fred had had a quidditch practice that he had forgotten about.

When he was finally finished for the day and had quickly showered, it was already nine o'clock at night. Fred trudged down to the common room, wrapped book in hand, and smiled with relief when he saw Hermione waiting for him. She was seated in front of the fire with her wild curls pulled back and twisted into a low bun. Fred smiled when he saw that she was wearing his old jumper that he had loaned her a few weeks ago.

"Hey stranger," Fred quietly said as he walked over to her spot by the fire, "Did you have a good birthday?"

Hermione shrugged and patted the floor right beside her, "It was alright. It's never really fun having a birthday at the very beginning of the school year. And it never seems to line up with Hogsmeade visits."

"Did you get anything fun?" Fred sat down right next to her and placed his gift directly in front of the witch.

"Well Harry and Ron got me some of my favorite sweets from Honeydukes. And my parents bought me a first edition printing of _Pride and Prejudice_ , a muggle book, while we were on vacation this summer as an early birthday gift," Hermione carefully flipped over the small box shaped package and admired the careful script that wished her well. A small smile graced her lips as she looked up at Fred, "Can I open it?"

"Of course you can," Fred smiled as brightly as he could, but he still felt a little ball of anxiety at the bottom of his stomach.

Hermione undid the wrapping rather carefully and gasped when she revealed the book underneath, "This is perfect! I've heard wonderful things about this book, Thank you."

Her huge grin made Fred start to relax finally, "You like it?"

"Of course," Hermione bumped her shoulder gently against his and smirked, "This is very thoughtful of you."

"Remus may have helped me a bit. I told him I wanted a really good Defense book for you and this is the one he recommended," Fred said with a shy grin. He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to hers.

Hermione was grinning happily as Fred pulled away and scooted over so that he sat behind her. He wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her back until she was leaning against his chest.

"You know, this book will be rather useful when I get my plan going…" Hermione thumbed through the book. Fred could see her already making mental notes of things she wanted to research further.

"Have you convinced Harry to help yet?"

Hermione shook her head, but her smile was still in place, "Not yet. I'm giving him some time to think about it. But I'm sure he'll agree…"

"Is that a mischievous tone, I detect?" Fred couldn't help but chuckle as Hermione tried to keep her voice even.

"What do you… I don't know… I would _never_ …"

Hermione's voice cracked at the end of her stammering. Fred snorted as she threw him a frustrated scowl, "Guess I haven't corrupted you completely yet… still not all that good at lying."

"I can lie perfectly convincingly when it's needed, but I have done _nothing_ manipulative this time," Hermione huffed as she stared at the hearth. "There may have been a misunderstanding between Harry, Ron and I that unfortunately included some heart wrenching references to Cedric Diggory. But I myself have only mentioned a few things that Harry has done on his own that many people would be very happy to learn."

Fred felt Hermione's entire body stiffen as she spoke.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it." Fred gave her a tight squeeze and kissed her cheek in an attempt to calm her temper.

Hermione sighed, "I know. I just… I think Harry is experiencing survivor's guilt. He keeps claiming that his magic is all luck based and that he doesn't have any skills to share. And all these detentions with Umbridge _aren't helping_ …" She suddenly turned so that she was somewhat facing Fred, "Did I tell you that I finally found out what that horrible woman is making Harry do every detention?"

Fred shook his head.

"She's making him use a _blood quill_!" Hermione's eyes had gone wide, "That toad is making Harry cut _'I will not tell lies'_ into the back of his hand every night."

His jaw clenched and his fingers balled into fists when Fred heard what Hermione had discovered. But he knew he needed to control his temper and that right now he needed to be the supportive one. He took a deep breathe, "That's unacceptable. Has he told McGonagall yet?"

"He won't. He's being stubborn," Hermione collapsed against Fred's chest again.

Fred blew out some frustration. This isn't how he had seen Hermione's birthday going, but he was glad that she felt comfortable enough to talk to him about such things. And he had to admit, that he did enjoy the feeling of Hermione relaxing in his arms. Fred rocked back a little as he chuckled, "You know, you're lucky I'm not the jealous type… we seem to talk a lot about Harry."

"Well, you're the one who said I sounded like an overbearing sibling," Hermione tilted her head backwards so that she was peering at him upside down, "I am sorry about that though. Tell me something new that you and George are working on instead."

"I could…" Fred smirked, leaned forward and carefully placed a kiss Hermione's jaw line, "Or I could kiss you. You know, a more _normal_ dating activity." He saw Hermione's cheeks redden as he laid a kiss a short ways down her neck.

She laughed as she turned to face Fred again, "Being normal for a little while might be fun."

* * *

 _It's so Fluffy! Oh dear, hope the fluff isn't suffocating..._

 _Let me know if you survived!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Review, you must..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now complete!_

 _Pps. We lost an amazing actor today. Our Professor Snape is gone... May he rest in peace. We already miss you Mr. Rickman._


	33. Chapter 33

_Happy weekend!_

 _A huge thanks to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed._ _jperks, PotterMas, Guest, GinnyPotter6891, Primrue, hogwartswonderland, Shiki de Uchiha, and themysteriousnicole; extra hugs to you all for taking an extra minutes and sharing your thoughts. I really do appreciate it!_

* * *

Hermione's POV

She was so nervous.

She hated public speaking.

Hermione gazed around the room and swallowed thickly as she counted each and every person that had decided to attend their little meeting. There were twenty-eight people including herself…

… _They're mostly friends or at least friendly acquaintances… I can do this…_

She scanned the crowd again until her eyes fell over the Weasley twins, who sat at the back of the group. George offered her a kind smile and encouraging nod, and Fred… Fred must have realized she was feeling uneasy and why. His genuine smile was in place as he pointed to himself and waved his hand around; as if to say ' _Just look at me and keep talking.'_

"Um… Hi… I mean, hello. Thank you all for coming," Hermione was shocked at the high pitch that her voice had taken. She quickly cleared her throat and looked to Fred again before she continued, "Harry thought…"

Harry made a disgruntled sound.

"I mean, I… I had this idea," Hermione looked away from her friend and focused back on her boyfriend, "Well, we need a proper way to study Defense. This rubbish Umbridge... No one could ever qualify what she's doing with us as _teaching_."

"Hear, hear!" a Ravenclaw boy named Anthony Goldstein called out.

Hermione felt a little more confident at the supportive gesture, "And well… I thought it would be good if we… took matters into our own hands.

She stopped to look at Harry again, hoping with every cell of her body that Harry wouldn't still be cross about the slight ambush this had turned into, "We need to learn how to defend ourselves properly, not just in theory but with real spells…"

"But you want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. as well, I bet," Michael Corner piped up from where the other Ravenclaws were seated.

"Shut it, Corner!" Hermione was surprised to find that it was George who came to her defense and not Fred.

She looked at Michael and tried very hard to make sure her voice was clear and collected, "Of course I want to pass. But there are other, more important reasons to learn _real_ defense. I for one, would like to be properly trained because… because…" Hermione took a deep breath to summon the courage she needed, "... Because Lord Voldemort is back."

Pendamonium.

Almost everyone flinched, gasped or spilled butterbeer as they reacted to Hermione's last sentence. Most of the group had turned to Harry, eagerly awaiting his response. But Hermione was looking at Fred, and he was practically beaming at her. Some of the nerves finally fall away. She wanted to hug Fred for helping her through the speech, but there was still a few points of order that needed to be addressed for their meeting.

"So, if you would like to join us, there are a few things that need to be decided..."

"Where's the proof that You-Know-Who is really back?"

… That was the point of the meeting when Ron and Harry almost punched Zacharias Smith. He was nothing like his brother, Elijah, who they should have paid more attention to when he had spoken about his older brother. Hermione stood in shocked horror as the boy addressed Harry like he was a compulsive liar or some child desperately seeking attention.

How had this happened?

Ron jumped to Harry's defense, but when the evil little Hufflepuff brought up Cedric, Hermione could actually feel the rage coming off of Harry in waves, "I will _not_ be talking about Cedric Diggory. If that's all you're here for, you might as well clear out now."

No one moved.

Hermione bowed her head down apologetically at Harry as he glared at her. She felt a bit responsible for the mess this had turned into, but he had to know that this wasn't what she had anticipated.

… though she _had_ been the one to invite Zacharias Smith… inadvertently...

The rest of the meeting turned into a bit of a question and answer for Harry, but thankfully the questions now remained in the category of Defense inquiries… at least loosely.

Everyone seemed impressed by the fact that Harry could produce a corporeal Patronus and that he had used his stag to ward off dementors just this past summer. The basilisk and the Sorcerer's Stone were brought up, as well at the three tasks that Harry had just survived last year.

Hermione had noticed a faint pink cover her friend's face when Cho Chang had brought up the Triwizard Tournament; she made a mental note to discuss that with Harry later.

And when Zachariah made a stink about Harry trying to back out of teaching everyone, which Harry most certainly _hadn't_ done; Hermione smirked as Ron looked like he was going to thump him and Fred basically snarled at the boy. It took George threatening Zachariah with a very odd and scary looking contraption from Zonko's to get the Hufflepuff to finally sit there quietly.

Hermione wanted to laugh, but she wasn't entirely sure that George was kidding. And when Fred also made a comment about assaulting Zachariah with the lethal-looking piece of metal, she quickly brought the meeting back to order.

"Anyway... I realize that we all have very differing and equally busy schedules so we need to find a time that is suitable for everyone to meet," there were murmurs of dates and different school activities thrown about, and meeting times and days were discussed.

A frequency of once a week was finally agreed upon, but a place for them to practice was much more difficult to decided. Hermione had been so busy lately that she had completely glazed over the fact that they would need a sizable area to conduct these lessons.

"Right, well when we've found a suitable location that is safe and large enough, we'll send a message around so everyone knows," Hermione stated rather rapidly so that an argument wouldn't begin.

She pulled out a flat piece of parchment from her bag and smoothed it on the tabletop in front of her. Hermione quickly wrote her own name down and handed the quill over to Harry, "Now if everyone could just jot down their name so that we know who was here today. And… I think we should also make an agreement that we won't go around telling others what we are doing. So when you sign the page, you're making a promise that you will not tell Umbridge, or anyone else for that matter, what we're doing."

Fred stepped forward and took the quill from Ron, who had just signed under Harry, and penned his name with a little flourish. He handed off the quill to George who signed just as quickly, but Hermione noticed that not everyone appeared as easygoing as the twins were. Many of the group, even some of the Gryffindors, needed extra reassurance that the list would be kept safe and would remain secret.

But in the end everyone signed.

Hermione carefully tucked the parchment back into her bag and Fred saved her the trouble of awkwardly dismissing the meeting, "Alright you lot, time ticks on." He leaned down to kiss Hermione's cheek, "George, Lee and I have to get some business done. See you later?"

She smiled and nodded her head.

The rest of their defense group slowly filtered out of the Hog's Head. Hermione had to hide behind her hand at one point when she saw Cho purposefully drop a few things in an attempt to stay longer.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked as he stood up next to Hermione.

"Oh, nothing," Hermione tried to casually wave it off, but Ron wasn't convinced and gave her a pointed look before trying again.

"Was it something about Zachariah? Because I could use a laugh about that git," he mumbled as he spoke and stared daggers at the door everyone had disappeared through.

Hermione sighed, "No, but I could use that too. I cannot believe him… the gall he had!"

"Well, besides him… the meeting did seem to go well," Harry offered Hermione a small smile, "I'm sorry I was a bit coarse earlier. I really don't enjoy that much attention."

"I know, and I am sorry about that," Hermione led the way out of the small, dirty pub and linked her arms through both boys' elbows as they began to walk down the street. "I think it will be fine now, though. Everyone seems eager to learn; at least most of them."

"What does that mean, 'Mione?" Ron asked through a chuckle.

Hermione smiled to herself but decided that she did want to talk a little gossip now that it was just the three of them, "Well Cho seemed a bit distract. I'm not sure if she was there because she wanted to learn or because she wanted to stare at Harry."

Harry flushed as Hermione and Ron tried not laugh too hard.

* * *

 _Yay for fluff woven between a moving plot!_

 _... or at least I hope that's how it came across. =)_

 _I always like reading your opinions, please continue sharing!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are absolutely wonderful things..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	34. Chapter 34

_Hey there!_

 _As always, thank you bunches for the Follows, Favorites and Reviews for last chapter._ _Nicole O, PotterMas, Primrue and Ginny Potter6891; you guys are the best._

* * *

Fred's POV

"This is a disaster!" Angelina looked like she was almost to the point of pulling her own hair out.

The day had dragged on for far too long, and most of the stress and anxiety had been due to Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four.

Angie had just come back from Umbridge's office, "The old toad said she would need more time to take everything into consideration."

"Are you serious?" Fred felt his ears grow hot as his temper flared, "But I heard that the bloody Slytherins got permission before breakfast!"

"But snakes we are not, brother dear,"George sighed heavily and placed a hand on Angelina's shoulder, "I'm sure it will be fine though. McGonagall won't allow Gryffindor's quiddtich team to remain on the sidelines, she loves us too much. She broke a centuries old rule for us when she helped Harry get permission to play his first year, remember?"

Angie looked a little brighter at George's words; Fred took note and tried not to smirk too widely.

"No quidditch practice," Angelina stated as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the common room.

"But I kept my temper!" Harry looked livid as he and Ron spoke to Angie. She quickly explained again what Professor Umbridge had said and retreated to the girls' dormitories after a solemn goodnight to everyone.

Hermione leaned against the arm of Fred's chair, "I'm sorry about quidditch."

Fred tried to muster a smile, "Thanks." He knew she wasn't the biggest fan of the dangerous flying sport, so he appreciated her support even more.

"I'm sure everything will work out. I'll try to help Harry keep his temper under control… Better your chances of getting permission to reform and it wouldn't hurt to keep Harry away from more isolated time with Umbridge," the witch let her arm fall from her lap and she stretched her fingers down until Fred laced them together with his own.

"That is quite a task you've given yourself, but it could actually work."

Hermione scoffed dramatically, "Of course it will work. My plans are very well thought out."

A small lopsided grin began to pull at the right side of his mouth. He squeezed her hand gently, "Thanks for that." Fred stood up and nodded in Harry and Ron's direction, "Now, I'm sure you need to go tend to a mountain of homework and deal with whatever you three are up to." He smiled knowingly at his girlfriend.

She didn't deny either of the speculations, but Hermione did frown with concern, "Do you mind that there are a few secrets that I can't really tell you… I mean… I'm sure I could tell you, but there are certain details that would probably remain unexplained?"

Fred shook his head, "I understand. George and I have a few secrets of our own as well; hope you don't mind." Hermione also shook her head and smiled. "Then just don't do anything I wouldn't do, and know that I'm always here if you need me."

He looked around the common room as he took a step toward Hermione. No one seemed to be paying attention, though he did notice that Lavender and Parvati conversation had gotten suspiciously louder when Fred had scanned the area. He smirked and cocked an eyebrow at the witch in front of him as she rolled her eyes.

"Merlin… I already told you Fred, as long as it's not the Great Hall… you really need to stop…" Hermione stood up to her full height and balanced herself against Fred's chest as she rose on her toes and kissed him on the lips, "You do realize you're being ridiculous, right?"

"Got you to kiss me in the middle of the common room…" Fred dodged slightly as Hermione hit him in the arm.

* * *

The rest of the night consisted of Fred and George taking pre-orders for their new and improved Puking Pastilles. With all the gold that Lee had collected throughout the night, Fred didn't even mind that he had had to throw up nine times.

Well… ok, he did mind a bit. Hermione had glanced over with a look of annoyed disgust; a special combination of emotions that she managed to still make look fairly cute… with her wrinkled nose and occasional eye roll…

At the end of the night, he had thought about walking over to the thier table to say goodnight but the trio was still frantically writing essays and muttering rather secretively. Fred decided that a quiet smile and a quick wave would suffice. He _had_ been doing a rather unattractive deed all night anyway. Hermione smiled back and mouthed ' _goodnight'_ before the twins and Lee made their way up to bed.

* * *

There was a soft tapping that the dorm room door.

It was one of the days that Fred didn't have an early class scheduled though, so he was rather miffed that someone was making a racket.

"Oi, Weasley number one; it's for you," Anthony Richards cheerfully called out from the other side of the room. George, Lee, Anthony and Thomas all had classes that morning, so they were already up and about gathering textbooks and homework.

Fred could hear Lee's faint chuckling, "Good morning, Hermione. You look nice this morning."

"Thank you, Lee. Is Fred awake yet?" The voice of his girlfriend caused Fred to bolt upright in bed. He quickly pulled a discarded jumper over his ratty shirt and shook his disheveled hair with the hope that nothing was sticking out at a strange angle.

Fred pulled back the curtains on his four post bed, "This is a pleasant surprise, but don't you have class this morning?"

Hermione took few steps toward Fred's side of the room, "Yes, I have charms in half an hour, but… I needed to talk to someone, could you spare a few minutes?"

* * *

 _So yea, kind of a two parter. Next chapter will be up tomorrow, I solemnly swear. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!  
_

 _***Reviews are so close to 200..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	35. Chapter 35

_Good morning wonderful people!_

 _Followers and Favorite-ers; you are the very best. And Reviewers:_ _Raven that flies at night, Nichole O, Politelycynical, FleurSuoh, jperks, CauldronWalnut, PotterMas, PrimRue and GinnyPotter6891; I really couldn't ask for a better group of people. Thank you._

 _As promised..._

* * *

Hermione's POV

Hermione had _not_ slept well.

She had tossed and turned all night.

The image of the short-fingered hand, covered in those clunky out-of-fashion rings, set aglow by the emerald floo flames was still stuck at the forefront of her mind.

Hermione had given up on sleep rather early that morning. She got up and dressed quickly and sat on her bed as she tried to revise her essay from the night before. When her dorm mates began to rise and shuffle around the room, Hermione decided that it should be late enough for the boys to be getting up as well.

She threw her things hastily into her school bag and made her way over to the other dormitory tower. Hermione passed a few of the younger Gryffindor boys as she climbed the stairs. She also exchanged 'good morning' and smiles with a few of her own classmates before she reached the seventh year dorms.

Hermione wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she knew that she needed to talk to Fred. She knocked on the door before she could change her mind.

One of the seventh years she didn't know, she vaguely remembered him being addressed as Anthony once, answered the door. "Oi, Weasley number one; it's for you," He nodded his head politely and exited the room. Lee smiled and exchanged pleasantries before Fred stumbled out of bed.

For some reason, even just the sight of him helped Hermione relax. She breathed a little more easily as she took a few small steps over to Fred's section of the room.

"...I needed to talk to someone, could you spare a few minutes?"

Fred nodded, "Of course." He looked over the remaining occupants of the room and smirked, "You lot aren't going to have time for breakfast if you lag behind; clear out!"

Hermione felt her face flush slightly as she heard the other boys grumble as they picked up their pace. She hadn't noticed that they had slowed down their actions when she walked in.

When the other seventh years had left the room, Fred smoothed down his thick comforter and patted the foot of the bed. He then grabbed his desk chair and sat down right in front of the offered spot.

"Thank you," Hermione spared a small smile and settled herself onto the edge of his bed after dropping her bag to the floor.

"So, has something happened that you really need to discuss or can I kiss you?"

Hermione felt her mouth gape slightly before she composed herself and clamped it shut, "No… unfortunately something's actually happened… sorry…"

She felt a bit uncomfortable by the comment and Fred must have noticed. He grabbed one of her hands, "Hey… only joking. I realize now that this is apparently not a joking subject, so I'll use my serious face." Hermione watched as he adjusted his expression so he looked a bit grim, "Alright, Granger; what's happened?"

Hermione tried not to smile.

She wholeheartedly appreciated that Fred was trying to take this seriously, when it was much more in his nature to be carefree and jovial. Her smile turned a bit sour as she began to think about what she needed to discuss.

"Well, first of all; I think Umbridge is monitoring the post. Well, at least Harry's post. But who knows which other students she's suspicious of. With your father working in the Ministry and openly supporting Dumbledore, she might be keeping an eye on all of the Weasleys' post as well," Hermione scrunched up her face as she spoke. It angered her to no end to think about Umbridge abusing her station to spy on students. Hermione wanted to much to believe in rules and the established system, but this year was already trying her patients.

She looked at Fred and found that his jaw was clenched tightly and it looked like he was trying not to yell and lose his temper.

"I just wanted to warn you about that. In case you and George had to send off important things for the shop, make sure to use a different school owl every time you send something… less obvious that way."

Fred nodded, "I'll make sure to tell George." He seemed to shift into business mode; Fred leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked rather irritated now but his voice remained even; Hermione guessed that was for her benefit, "What's the second thing?"

"We were talking to…" She paused simply out of habit. The trio rarely said Sirius's name inside of Hogwarts for fear of people overhearing, "... _Snuffles_ last night." Hermione stared pointedly at Fred as she exaggerated the nickname.

"Does Harry's godfather know you call him that?" Fred smirked, but Hermione was just relieved that he caught on quickly.

"Yes, he actually assigned himself the nickname last year," a small laugh escaped her, "Anyway… Snuffles told us why Umbridge isn't teaching us anything. It basically just confirmed what we all already believed, but it was still disturbing to hear."

"They really think Dumbledore is recruiting children to train and fight for him?" Fred chuckled darkly, "Ironically enough, that is vaguely what we're planning on doing… at least the training bit."

Hermione sighed and massaged her temple, "And that brings me to the third thing; I'm not sure if this defense club is really a good idea anymore."

To her surprise, Fred didn't jump down her throat. He didn't even laugh or show any signs that he thought she was being ridiculous, "What changed your mind?"

"Well… Snuffles sounded far too excited about the prospect of us breaking rules," Hermione's overbearing, worrisome side came out swinging, "I like Snuffles very much, I've even grown to care for him. He's been so wonderful to Harry and equally as welcoming to me… but I'm concerned that he's been stuck in that house for too long. I'm afraid that he wants to take risks just to confirm that he's still alive. He seemed _overjoyed_ that we were breaking the rules and I'm just not sure we can trust his judgement anymore. He said that we'd all be better off expelled and able to defend ourselves than sitting around here without a clue."

Fred nodded his head in understanding, "That's probably all true. I mean he has been in that dreadful house for too long. And without Harry, you and the rest of the Weasley clan running about, there's probably much less to distract him from the fact that he can't escape anywhere. But… but this is something that we _need_ to do. You may not have liked how he stated everything, but he's right. We are better off risking things so we can train ourselves up."

Hermione let his words sink in a bit. She decided she liked Fred's revision of the statement without the assumed threat of expulsion, though it had been the same sentiment. She took a deep breath. A smile spread easily across her face, "You're right... Snuffles was right… I guess initially, I was right… just don't tell anyone I had such a moment of doubt."

Fred mimed zipping his lips and locking them before tossing the imaginary key away.

"Thank you," Hermione slid off the bed and picked up her forgotten school bag.

"Do I get a kiss now?"

Hermione smirked and shook her head, "Afraid not. You might get the wrong idea if I kiss you in your dorm room while we're _all alone._ "

Fred's jaw fell open, "Did you really just make a joke… but you pulled such a face when I… that is completely unfair, Granger."

She shrugged, "Thank you for talking to me. You are wonderful and chivalrous, like always."

Hermione wasn't sure if she did it to tease her poor boyfriend more or to actually thank him for the early morning conversation that had calmed her down so quickly. Her lack of sleep could have contributed to her actions as well...

She leaned down and moved her lips against his for a few long seconds.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at Fred's completely shocked expression, "See you at lunch."

* * *

 _I am sorry that last chapter was a bit short. It just seemed to naturally end there with Fred's POV... But hopefully Hermione's POV made up for it._

 _Thank you all SO much for getting this fic to almost 300 followers and over 200 reviews. OMG!_

 _***Please continue sharing your opinions, they constantly inspire me..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	36. Chapter 36

_Yay weekends!_

 _Many, many thanks for all the Follows, Favorites and Reviews. Politelycynical, PotterMas, GInnyotter6891, Raven that flies at night and Prinrue; huge hugs to you all for spending a few minutes to leave a comment._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

"You just had to try selling her the Puking Pastilles..." George muttered under his breathe.

"We could try the Fever Fudge again," Fred offered as his face soured at the reminder of the Snackbox that they still hadn't perfected.

He had originally been ecstatic about the house quidditch team getting permission to reform, but Angelina had gone off the deep end… possibly even worse than Oliver Wood had been during his years as captain.

"Do they work?" Ron mumbled at his brothers.

"Of course they work," George began.

"... they just have a few side effects that could make flying very uncomfortable," Fred finished.

Harry and Ron exchanged a worried look. Fred tried to enjoy their confused and terrified expressions, but the pain of the pus-filled boils were a bit too much still. He and George had tested them after lunch that day and it hadn't ended well.

"...the weather isn't ideal, obviously," Angie paced in front of the team in the small area of the locker room, "but we need to be prepared for any kind of flying conditions, so I see this as an opportunity to practice safe and effective flying. And Harry, didn't you do a spell on your glasses that time we played in the storm against the Puffs?"

Harry shook his head, "No, Hermione did that."

Fred felt a smile cross his face.

"She taught it to me though," Harry took off his glasses and waved his wand over the frames, " _Impervious_."

"Brilliant, let's all give that a try. Let's go," Angelina clapped her hands together a few times to encourage the team to work quickly and led them out into the pouring rain to practice.

* * *

Practice had been… _interesting_.

Fred's backside hurt more than when he and George had tried to coerce Ron into an Unbreakable Vow. And when Fred glanced over at his twin, he did not appear any better off.

"OUCH!" Harry yelled as he covered his face with a damp towel.

The worried look on Ron's face immediately set off warning bells in Fred's head. He didn't exactly enjoy being out of the loop when it came to important things that Hermione was involved with, or would inevitably be involved in. But he did try to understand that there were some things that he just couldn't be a part of.

… But that didn't mean he couldn't help indirectly.

"Come on George, let's go raid the kitchen. Maybe the elves will take pity on us and bring hot chocolate for the whole tower if we ask nicely enough," he suggested a bit louder than was necessary. George gave him a confused glance, but agreed anyway.

The locker room cleared out pretty quickly after that, except for Ron and Harry.

Fred smirked at the two, "Enjoy your private time, but you better hurry if you want any of that hot chocolate."

Harry had an appreciative look on his face and he thanked Fred and George before they disappeared back into the rain.

* * *

After a quick drying spell and a pop in with the Hogwarts house elves, Fred and George made their way back up to Gryffindor tower.

It was slow going due to the boils, but walking up the stairs at a slower pace did seem to help.

They entered the common room to find that the house elves had already set up a little table by the portrait hole with a large self-filling pitcher of the chocolaty hot beverage along with several different toppings to go along with it.

"So why did we need to clear out of the locker room?" George asked as they passed by the drink station and walked over to the fireplace. George practically dove into the carpet there and huffed as his stomach hit the floor.

"Potter business," Fred explained as he transfigured a napkin into a soft ice pillow. He tossed it onto the couch and sat down very gingerly with a sigh of relief.

A soft giggle sounded from behind them, "What on earth did Angelina do to you two? You sound like a pair of old men."

Fred smiled and leaned back his head so that he could see her, "You are a sight for sore eyes, Hermione."

The witch smiled and rolled her eyes as she carried over her school bag and sat down on the floor in front of Fred. Hermione leaned up against his legs and began fanning out the books and bits of parchment all around her.

"It wasn't actually Angie's doing…" George muttered into the carpet.

"She didn't _have_ to make us practice in a bloody hurricane," Fred grumbled.

"She had good reason. Extra training isn't the worst thing."

Fred couldn't help but snort, "Ah, defending her madness... a perfect example of love being blind."

George grunted in response, "At least I don't' grin like an idiot whenever someone mentions her."

He felt Hermione's movement still at the comment… well, there was no use in covering it up. Fred grinned wildly, just as he had when Harry had given credit to Hermione for the water repelling spell, "Well she _is_ my girlfriend, so I can act how I like. You, on the other hand, are defending a girl you won't even ask to hogsmeade."

"I'm waiting for the right moment," George huffed again.

"Should I even ask for clarification?" Hermione glanced over her shoulder to look up at Fred.

He shook his head, "Don't worry. You were only brought up because you're brilliant."

Hermione wore a shy smile, "Well, will you at least tell me why you're both in so much pain? The rest of the team just looked tired and a bit damp. Oh, and where are Harry and Ron?"

"Those two will be along in a minute. They will probably need to talk to you when they arrive," Fred gave her a knowingly look; she seemed to understand that meant something had happened that her two friends would need to explain later. "And, well... Um…" Fred swallowed thickly. He wasn't quite sure how much detail he wanted to use, "Let's just say that one of our Skiving Snakeboxes is giving us trouble... and we are currently suffering the aftermath of an uncomfortable side effect."

"And the uncomfortable side effect is on your bums?" Fred could tell that she was trying desperately not to laugh.

George moaned, "Just tell her. Knowing Granger, she probably knows a spell to vanish them."

Fred smiled and shook his head. Embarrassment was not a feeling that he was used to, but at this very moment he felt it through every inch of his body, "... Puss-filled boils on the previously mentioned area."

"Oh," Hermione covered her mouth in an obvious attempt to not openly laugh, but Fred noticed that there was a look of concern mixed in with the humor. The witch stood up and, without another word, disappeared up the girls staircase.

"Does that mean she's going to help or she's utterly disgusted with us?"

Fred grabbed a pillow and chucked it at his twin's head with a snort, "You're lucky I don't aim for your bum, you wanker."

Hermione returned just as their laughter was dying down. She offered Fred a small vial of yellow liquid and a few cotton balls, "This should at least help with the pain. But I'm not sure if it will help things heal any faster. It's what I've been using for Harry's hand."

Fred stood up with a little extra effort and kissed her on the forehead, "I don't know what we would do without you. Thank you. Now excuse us while we… tend to our arses…"

She couldn't hold in the laughter any longer and burst out giggling as Fred and George made their way up to their dorm rooms.

* * *

 _Eek! DA soon, can't wait to share it with you all._

 _What did you all think of this chapter?_

 _***I do LOVE reviews..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	37. Chapter 37

_Happy Wednesday!_

 _Hugs and thank yous to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed so far. radhonesty_ , _kaitlakey45, symmantha, politelycynical, GinnyPotter6891, Primerue, and Raven that flies at night; you all are absolutely wonderful people. Thank you so much for all the encouraging words._

 _A little longer chapter... just because I kind of like you all..._

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

Harry's description of his pain and the reasoning that he had deciphered for his scar hurting scared Hermione _more_ than just a little.

He and Ron had found her after the twins had escaped to their dorm that night and reluctantly filled her in on their conversation down at the quidditch pitch. Hermione hesitated, but did ultimately agree with what Ron had told Harry.

The fears of Dumbledore and the Order had unfortunately been right; Harry had some kind of link into Lord Voldemort's mind…

They didn't make much progress in their ever growing amount of homework that night, and Ron and Hermione went to bed soon after midnight. But Harry, lost in his sour mood, stayed in the common room and didn't follow Ron when he left.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione was woken up by thunder shaking the dorm windows. The storm from the day before seemed to have multiplied in its intensity and every torch and lamp had been lit up to help the students see in the dense early darkness.

Hermione descended the dorm stairs to find Harry and Ron waiting for her. She was pleasantly surprised by the smile on the dark haired wizard's face since there had been a deep scowl there for most of yesterday.

"You seem in a better mood," Hermione mentioned as they made their way down to breakfast.

Ron nodded his head, "You look like you haven't slept at all, but you still look better off than yesterday."

Hermione snorted as Harry glared at the redhead.

"Um… thanks," Harry muttered as they sat down and began portioning out eggs, sausage and toast for themselves before they had to braved the storm for double Herbology that morning. "I've actually made some headway with our _project_. I think I've found a place."

Hermione furrowed her brow, "Well, hurry up then." She was disappointed that she wouldn't see Fred that morning, but he would understand if there was work to be done. Hermione took a huge bite of toast and jam and hurriedly gulped her juice. The boys followed suite and they left the Great Hall very quickly. They slipped and splashed their way down to the greenhouses long before classes were supposed to begin, and Hermione only began speaking again when they were securely in the warm, dry and empty glass building.

"I really don't think we should talk about the Defense group in the Great Hall; too many extra ears," Hermione quickly explained her earlier curtness, "What place did you find?"

"Well, it was actually Dobby who found it, but Dumbledore mentioned it in passing to me at the Yule Ball last year," Harry explained under his breathe. Though they were alone, they didn't want to tempt anything, "It's called the Room of Requirement. It supposedly takes the form of whatever kind of room a person really needs. Not many people know where it is or how it works, but Dobby's told me everything I need to make it work for us."

Hermione felt a little wary of a place that Dobby had suggested. This was the same house elf who almost _killed_ Harry several times their second year. But she tried to remain open minded since she did believe so much in equality of creatures, and second chances were something that everyone should have the opportunity of having.

"So I want to have our first meeting tonight. With the weather, Angelina canceled quidditch and I'm sure none of the other captains would be daft enough to call a practice in this," Harry began to look determined and maybe a little excited, "Do you think eight o'clock tonight will work?"

Ron smirked as Hermione nodded, "I'm sure that will be fine. I'll let Fred and Ginny know during lunch so that they can spread it to the others."

* * *

That night Harry, Hermione and Ron sneaked out from the tower and made their way over to the hallway that housed the huge tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being flogged by trolls.

Harry scrunched up his face and began muttering under his breathe as he walked back and forth in front of the completely void wall. Hermione and Ron stood next to the tapestry and tried to wait patiently for _whatever_ was supposed to happen.

Suddenly a highly polished door materialized within the empty wall.

Hermione smiled as her mouth gaped open, "Harry… look!"

Harry exchanged a wary look with Ron before he grasped the brass handle and led the way into the room.

It was incredible to say the least.

Hermione scanned the room, turning as she tried to take in every inch of the space. It was _enormous_. Torches lined the walls, providing a bright light to easily work by. One of the far corners of the room was completely made up of bookcases, and there were silken cushions on the floor around them to provide a comfortable place to research or fall. The opposite corner held some more shelves, but these were lined with magical artifacts that all aided in detecting dark magic or fending it off. There were even a few dummies draped in black cloaks that Hermione was fairly certain were meant to represent Death Eaters.

"Harry, what exactly did you ask the Room for? How did it know we could use all of this?" She was completely distracted by the books. Hermione ran her finger across the spines of the tomes and read every title as she attempted to catalog them all in her mind.

Harry smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "I asked for somewhere we could learn to fight; a place that no one could find us."

"This is… I mean… _wicked_ ," Ron stammered as he picked up one of the Sneakoscopes.

There were several knocks on the door as the others began to arrive. Everyone arrived a little before eight o'clock and each member was awestruck as they walked through the door.

When everyone had settled down on the cushions, Harry stood, "Well, I've been thinking…"

Hermione raised her hand in the air as if Harry was an official teacher.

"Yes, Hermione?" Harry spared her a smile, "And you don't have to raise your hand."

"Well, I think the first order of business is to elect a leader," she tried to sound authoritative so that the group would take her suggestion seriously.

"Harry's leader," Cho immediately chimed in.

Hermione tried not to smile at the sixth year or her slightly reddening friend, "I agree, but we should put it to a vote. Just to formally give Harry authority… all in favor?" She happily looked around the room and smiled broadly as George and Fred raised both their hands in the air and the later twin waved to her and winked.

"... thanks," Harry mumbled.

Hermione noticed that his gaze fell to the floor a bit as he avoided every person staring at him. She quickly brought up the next thing that needed to be addressed, "We also need a name."

"... Anti-Umbridge League…"

"... the Self-Taught Defense League…"

"... Students against Toads…"

"... the Ministry of Magic are _Morons_ Group…"

Hermione glared at Fred as he snickered over his suggestion.

"I was thinking something a little less blatantly _obvious_ …" she cocked an eyebrow at her boyfriend as he smirked and held his hands up innocently.

Cho offered something much more usable, "How about the Defense Association? D.A. for short."

"Brilliant!" Ginny declared, "But I'd much rather D.A. stand for Dumbledore's Army. That's what the Ministry is so afraid of."

Hermione counted twenty-three of the twenty-eight members raised their hand in favor of the 'D.A.', "Motion passed." She pulled out the charmed piece of parchment that every member had signed and wrote ' _Dumbledore's Army'_ at the top.

"All right," Harry sounded a bit nervous as he addressed everyone, "The first thing we should do is review the basics; make sure we all have a really good grasp of simple defense spells. _Expelliarmus_ , the Disarming Spell, is something I've found very useful…"

Zacharias Smith snorted.

Hermione saw Fred lunge at the small fourth year, but thankfully George and Lee held him back.

"I don't think a disarming spell is really going to help us against You-Know-Who."

"I've used it against him," Harry's eyes were narrowed but his voice was scarily even; Hermione had to admit that she was impressed by his control over his temper, "It saved my life last June."

There were no further interruptions or arguments to Harry's teaching methods after that.

They all paired off at Harry's suggestion and took turns practicing _Expelliarmus_ on their partners. And at his request, Hermione paired off with Ron and Neville. She caught Fred's eye occasionally and Hermione saw him smile with pride when she disarmed Ron so forcefully that he staggered backwards as his wand went flying through the air.

"Nice one, Hermione," Neville offered a kind and excited smile as Ron went to retrieve his wand with a huff.

Neville had seemed a bit reserved when they first began to practice, but now that they were in the swing of things he was beginning to show more confidence, " _Expelliarmus!"_

Hermione smiled proudly as her wand shot up out of her hand. It wasn't as powerful as her own spell; the wand only made it about a foot over her head before Hermione easily caught it. But it was very impressive improvement, "Brilliant, Neville!"

As Ron took his turn disarming Neville, Hermione glanced around the room at the other members progress. She spotted Harry walking in between all the pairs, correcting hand placement, wand movement and offering encouraging words to everyone. He even defended Zacharias against the twins. When Harry found Fred and George taking turns disarming the fourth year every time he tried to perform the spell himself, Harry gave them a pointed look and they returned to practicing on each other.

Hermione frowned and shook her head when Fred caught her eye. He shrugged but mouthed ' _sorry'_ as he made George's wand fly out of his grasp.

Before anyone even realized how much time had passed, it was a quarter past nine o'clock. Everyone quickly agreed on meeting again next week, and Harry took out the Marauder's Map so he could direct people when to exit the room so that they wouldn't get caught or attract unwanted attention.

The trio was the last to leave. Hermione glanced back at the wall as they exited and marveled as the door appeared to simply melt away.

Harry had been even better of a teacher than Hermione had hoped for. As they hurried back to the common room, she found herself hoping that the next week would pass _very quickly_.

* * *

 _More Fred and Hermione next chapter, I promise. I really wanted to showcase finding the Room of Requirement and the first DA meeting here._

 _Did you all like?_

 _***Reviews really do help..._

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	38. Chapter 38

_Happy Friday!_

 _Much love to everyone who Fallowed or Favorited last chapter. Primrue, PotterMas, Raven that flies at night and GinnyPotter 6891; extra thanks to you all for offering some kind words._

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

Fred had never made a habit of visiting the library the first six years of his Hogwarts education, but this year he found himself wandering into the reference center at least every other day.

At first Madame Pince had been extremely suspicious of him. Most likely because the few times that Fred and George _had_ ventured into her domain of books, they had been on missions to find very specific spells that usually led to extraordinary pranks… and a few disastrous follies to say the least.

But now that the librarian saw Fred on such a regular basis, and usually in the company of one of her favorite students, Madame Pince had very little to say against the Weasley twin.

"Mr. Weasley."

"Madame Pince," Fred nodded his head politely to the older witch, "Where is she hiding today?"

The librarian smiled, "Oh, I believe Miss Granger is in her usual corner. She might be difficult to spot though; she's apparently having some difficulty finding something and has decided to skim through a vast majority of my Charms section. She won't tell me much, so I fear I cannot assist any more than I already have."

Fred returned the grin and shrugged, "She can be stubbornly independent at times. I'll make sure all the books find their way back to their proper place, though."

"I would greatly appreciate that."

Fred nodded his head again and wove through the book shelves without a second thought. His feet knew the route automatically and soon he was met with quite a sight.

Hermione was almost completely obscured from view. There were five separate piles of thick books surrounding her on the desk, three to four books high in each stack. Fred wouldn't have even noticed her if he was just passing by.

Fred chuckled to himself as he took a chair from a nearby table and sat down next to the small desk. He gently pushed two of the book towers back until he had made a little pathway to see her, "I know Flitwick tends to give an excessive amount of work during O.W.L.'s year, but shouldn't you leave _some_ books for the rest of your classmates?"

A faint smirk crossed her lips, "These are all N.E.W.T. level texts."

"Oh," Fred smiled broadly but looked over some of the titles again, "Well, you must have distracted me because I didn't notice."

He saw the apples of Hermione's cheeks pink slightly as she pretended to ignore him.

"So, what are you looking for?" Fred asked pulling one of the dusty tomes towards himself and opening it to a random page.

Hermione sighed, "I'm researching." She slid a small piece of paper over to him.

' _Looking into the Protean Charm. Trying to find a way for the D.A. to communicate meeting times.'_

Fred smirked. As he had finished reading the note, the letters had begun to disappear, "Sounds fascinating, can I help at all?"

"No, you've already helped actually," Hermione smiled gratefully and scribbled on the spare parchment again.

' _I got the idea from the PolyPen. I just need to figure out how to link twenty-eight objects now instead of just two.'_

"Well, I think you could use a break. Fancy a walk around the Black Lake?" Fred was a bit unsatisfied talking to her parchment, "Coming back to this with fresh eye couldn't hurt."

Hermione relented and nodded her head.

They quickly put all the books away; Fred was quite annoyed with himself for promising Madame Pince that the books would find their rightful places. When they were finished, he snatched Hermione's bag off the floor before she could grab it and threw it over his own shoulder.

"How very gentlemanly of you, Mr. Weasley," Hermione waved at Madame Pince as they exited the library. She laced her fingers with his as they walked down the hallway.

Fred squeezed her hand a bit and led the way down to the Entrance Hall. They slipped out into the cool but bright day, "When do you have to be at potions?"

"About half an hour," Hermione bumped his arm with her shoulder, "Enjoying your free periods?"

With both he and George only taking three N.E.W.T. level classes, they did have a good amount of free time. Most of the time was being used for product development and research into what was needed to start up a successful business. But Fred made sure to spend a good portion of the free periods with Hermione and had even been pushing George to allocate some of his time for Angie.

"It's fine, I suppose. George and I will probably use our free period tomorrow to get some extra practice in," Fred let Hermione take the lead and smiled as she pulled him toward the dock, "First quidditch game of the season is against Slytherin. Have to make sure we _beat_ them… and bruising them is always an option as well."

He saw Hermione roll her eyes as she sat down on the edge of the pier before he joined her, "Just don't maim anyone."

"I'll try my very best not to, but I can't promise anything," He smirked as Hermione huffed at him. But it was difficult to take her anger seriously when her eyes were still smiling. Fred sat down closely next to her and Hermione tucked herself into his side like she usually did on the common room sofa.

"Just promise you'll be careful," Hermione sighed, "Quidditch is very fun to watch, but there's so much that could go wrong; with the flying and the other team trying to knock you off your broom…"

"Well, I'm usually the one trying to knock the other team to the ground," Fred chuckled.

"I know that, it's just…"

Fred tried not to smile, "Are you concerned about me?"

"Well, of course I'm concerned!" Hermione turned so that she was facing at him, "I'm always worried... about _all_ of you… and this year Ron's in the mix as well. And I've gotten to know George, Angelina, Alicia and Katie better. Oh, and someone always tried to kill Harry during at least one game each year!"

"Well, no one tried to kill Harry during quidditch last year."

Fred tried his very hardest not to laugh as Hermione glared, "Just because... there was still... Harry, broom, dragon."

"That wasn't _quidditch_ though. I feel like you might have more of an aversion to flying," Fred smiled as Hermione's frustration grew. He kissed her cheek and tried to squelch her temper.

Hermione sighed, "I'm not the biggest fan of flying."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Yes, well I don't like advertising the fact since a majority of my friends basically _live_ for quidditch," the witch slumped a little against him.

Fred leaned down so that he could whisper in her ear, "Do you trust me?"

Hermione giggled slightly, "Of course I do."

"Will you let me take you flying sometime?"

"Never."

Fred chuckled, "Why not?" He tried to sound offended, but Hermione's laughter kept him smiling.

"Just because I trust _you_ doesn't mean I'll trust a broom… or anything else that flies for that matter. I've had my share of flying and I'm perfectly fine staying on the ground."

"Do you think you'll change your mind before I graduate?"

"No," she answered flatly.

Fred smirked as Hermione shook her head for added emphasis, "Will you at least consider it?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'll take that as a maybe."

Fred grinned from ear to ear as Hermione turned to look at him over her shoulder. Her eyes were narrowed but there was still a shadow of a smile on her mouth.

Before she could voice another refusal, Fred leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Hermione's lips.

* * *

 _A little fluff... since I was missing the fluffiness._

 _Any thoughts?_

 _***Reviews are absolutely wonderful...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	39. Chapter 39

_Happy weekend!_

 _I love everyone who Followed, Favorited, jperks, GinnyPotter6891 and Primrue with all of my heart. Thank you!_

* * *

Hermione's POV

"Ron does not look very well," Hermione mumbled, "We can't let him see those awful things that the Slytherins are wearing. He'll feel even worse."

"Everyone gets nervous their first game," Fred offered, though she noticed that even he looked a little concerned over his younger brother's appearance, "Still think I shouldn't maim anyone?"

Hermione shook her head, "I'm honestly not sure…"

Fred's eyebrows rose and a smirk pulled at his lips.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm just concerned for Ron. Of course I don't want you to purposely injure anyone… no matter how much they may need a swift kick…" Hermione sighed heavily and kissed Fred on the cheek before he stood to leave with George, "Good luck."

He flashed her a wide smile as he took off his Gryffindor scarf and draped it over Hermione's neck, "See you at the pitch."

Ginny glanced at Ron with a similar expression of worry, "I don't know. It looks like more than nerves, I think Ronald is going to be ill."

Ron didn't eat much for breakfast and Harry looked at Hermione as if asking her to deliver a miracle. She shrugged tightly, "Nerves can be a _good_ sign. I never feel that you perform as well in exams if you're not at least _a bit_ nervous."

But that didn't seem to alleviate any of the anxiety on Ron's face. Even Luna, with her quirky upbeat well wishes, didn't help any.

When Harry and Ron stood to leave, Hermione jumped up as well and strategically stood between Ronald and the Slytherin table. She linked her arm through both of the boys elbows and quickly walked them out of the Great Hall. "Don't let Ron see the badges that the snakes are wearing," she whispered into Harry's ear, "Good luck! Ginny and I will be at the front of our usual box, cheering as loudly as possible." She plastered a wide grin on her face as she hugged Ron and pushed them both out into the cold November morning.

* * *

Even with Lee Jordan's playful commentary and his entertaining banter with Professor McGonagall, the match was a bit difficult to watch.

Well… _Ron_ was difficult to watch.

The Slytherins had written a particularly horrid song for Ronald, and it was affecting him just as the students in green had intended it to. Hermione slumped as Ron allowed another quaffle past; she knew that he was a decent player but with his confidence shot, she wasn't sure if things were going to get any better this game.

Ginny's ears were bright red as she screamed at the Slytherins in the next box over, and Luna wore a very wide grin as she made her lion hat roar in an attempt to drown out their voices every time the song's chorus was begun again. Hermione jinxed a few of the closer Slytherins so that their tongues were glued to the roof of their mouths , but she stopped when it didn't seem to interrupt the vile song lyrics at all.

It felt like the game dragged on for days. Hermione tried to keep cheering and Ginny and many of their friends attempted to keep spirits high, but it felt a little like a lost cause.

The saving grace was when Ginny suddenly called out, "Look! They've spotted the snitch." The ginger witch pointed to a spot a few meters in front of Harry and Malfoy.

Hermione looked around, but couldn't see the small golden ball herself. She watched, with bated breath, as the two seekers dove and suddenly pulled to the left. They were neck and neck now, but Harry began to pull ahead slightly as he reached his arms out with fingers extended. In just a few seconds, Harry's hand closed around the little winged ball and Ginny and Hermione began to jump and cheer.

"Come on! Let's get down to the pitch before the rest of the crowd," Ginny suggested as she grabbed Hermione and Luna's hands and dragged them toward the stairs. They were only a single flight down, when a gut wrenching thump was heard followed by a collective gasp from the crowds above them.

The three girls glanced at each other and then proceeded to almost fly down the wooden steps.

Ginny and Hermione ran a bit in front of Luna; she was struggling a bit with her giant hat.

"Who... do you think... was hit?" Ginny gasped in between breathes.

"Harry," Hermione said without even considering anyone else... This was one of those instances she begged to be wrong,..

They arrived at the middle of the pitch just as Malfoy was finishing what she was sure was some horrible, petty statement. Hermione couldn't hear what had been said, but she saw as something in Harry shifted and he released the hold he had on George's arm.

Hermione watched in horror as Harry pulled his arm back and sunk his fist as hard as he could into Draco Malfoy's stomach.

Ginny collected herself first, "STOP IT!"

The two witches quickly began to pull at the boys, but neither of them seemed to respond. Hermione flipped through some spells in her head and quickly called out, " _Impedimenta_." The jinx threw George and Harry off of Malfoy, and Ginny and Hermione jumped in between them.

"That's enough," Ginny whispered to her brother. She looked at Harry with an equally anxious expression. She knew, just as well as Hermione did, that there was no getting out of this one. George and Harry were going to be punished _severely_ for this, no matter what Malfoy had been saying to antagonize them.

"You shouldn't have done that Harry. Malfoy's not worth it," Hermione said as she held firmly to Harry's shoulders.

There was a gruesome moaning sound and Hermione turned around to see Malfoy being hauled to his feet by one of his teammates, "No one asked for _your_ opinion."

She felt Harry try to lunge forward again as Malfoy spit at Hermione's feet. She saw Fred struggle against all three of the Gryffindor chasers as he tried to get at the Slytherin again. Hermione caught his eye and shook her head; her boyfriend glared but stopped pulling against his teammates.

Malfoy sneered as he held his side and pinched his still bleeding nose, "Can't protect all your little boyfriends this time, Granger. I'm sure my father will have each of them expelled for this."

Hermione scoffed, "Protect _them_? I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. I'm protecting you, _Draco…_ " She smirked as the blood covered boy recoiled at her use of his first name.

"Stupid piece of filth… I don't need protection… you're the one who's going to need protection!" Malfoy sputtered at her, obviously unable to find a better retort.

"If you recall, _Draco…_ I can protect myself," Hermione looked over his face, carefully analyzing the fractured nose George had caused, "Hmm, doesn't appear as if your nose is as badly broken _this_ time. George must not have been as focused as _I was._ " Hermione smiled as she saw Malfoy's face color.

"Filthy… _Mudblood_!"

" _Mr. Malfoy_!" Madam Hooch had finally finished berating Crabbe and noticed that there was a scuffle. She looked over George, Harry and Malfoy, "All _three_ of you, report to your heads of house immediately. I will be checking with Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape to insure that each of you receive appropriate punishments for inappropriate actions _and_ words today."

The small bit of confidence that Hermione had felt calling Malfoy out completely dissolved as she watched Harry and George trudge up to the castle with McGonagall fuming right behind them.

* * *

 _Thank you all bunches for still sticking with my little fic. I might update tomorrow to, if writing goes well. Wish me luck._

 _Tell me about all your thoughts and feels!_

 _***It is always nice to get reviews...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	40. Chapter 40

_Why, hello there!_

 _Thanks for all the Follows and Favorites for last chapter. And reviewers; Raven that flies at night, helloberrie, OnceUponATimeGeek2020, PotterMas, jperks, GinnyPotter6891 and Primrue... I really can't think of good way to thank all of you for your encouragements..._

 _... but maybe another chapter will be a good start._

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

"You've been _what_?" Angelina looked as if she was about to cry, " _Banned_?!"

Fred saw Hermione standing next to Ginny and Neville as everyone in the tower was informed about the gutting of their quidditch team. Harry looked beyond infuriated as he repeated himself, "Yes. George and I are banned for life apparently. And just to prove that she's a _completely_ unfair and disgusting toad, Umbridge banned Fred as well."

George and Fred stood off to the side of the common room. They were both livid and spoke in hushed tones as the rest of the Gryffindors watched the captain of their quidditch team. Hermione suddenly caught his eye and Fred smiled sadly before he and George disappeared up the boys dormitory stairs.

* * *

"You know we can't do that, George. At least not yet," Fred was just as angry as his twin, and even though he wanted to tear that little blond wanker limb from limb for what he said about the Weasley's and Hermione, at the moment he knew he needed to be the counter weight to George's fury.

"And why not?!" George banged the lid of his trunk open and began tossing things carelessly into it, "We weren't even sure we should come back here in the first place. The only reason we agreed to come back for our last year was developing and testing new products, building a customer base for the shop and _flying_. Then you and Hermione happen and you can't wait to get back to Hogwarts."

Fred took a deep breath to keep his temper even, "Don't bring Hermione into this. You know that not attending for seventh year was a fleeting thought we had at the beginning of the summer and we had made up our minds to come back before she even got back to England."

"But she _is_ one of the reasons you want to stay now," George sidestepped the truth of Fred's statement to continue fueling his anger.

"Yes," Fred answered calmly, "Hermione is one of the main reasons I want to stay. But that doesn't mean that she's replaced any of the former, and still _very important and logical,_ reasons that we came back."

George threw some of his clothes into the trunk and a few coins fell out of a pocket and onto the floor. He crouched down and picked up the three galleons, weighting them in his hand before he placed the two real ones into the small cash box that was at the top of George's trunk. He held out the fake coin to Fred, "So… if we _did_ have everything in order for the shop; the storefront, an apartment, more of the recipes finalized... you'd be able to leave?"

Fred sighed as he took the fake galleon and admired Hermione's handiwork, "When we _have_ to leave, I will leave, George. Just promise me that I can give her some warning... and you have to guarantee me that we will _not_ go silently."

The twins shared mirroring smirks as George nodded his agreement, "Fine. Those seem like acceptable terms."

* * *

The twins talked most of the evening, and Fred was surprised to find that though he was still angry about the banning and subsequent confiscation of their brooms, he was surprisingly calm about the whole affair. The rest of the seventh year boys filed into the dorm as the night dragged on, all of them grumbling their condolences to the twins and cursing Professor Umbridge under their breaths. Fred actually found the idea of so many people hating the toad, as much as he did, strangely comforting.

After Fred was certain that George had calmed down, he went down stairs to find a certain witch. But the common room empty; not the usual circumstance when Gryffindor won a match.

Fred was climbing back up to the boys dormitories when he passed Neville on the stairs, "Hey Longbottom. Are Ron and Harry in bed?"

Neville shook his head, "No. Harry came in to grab a cloak and that bit of parchment that shows you the castle, and then he disappeared. They're usually back before they find _too much_ trouble though."

"Merlin… I wonder what they're up to know," Fred chuckled to himself, "Thanks, Neville."

* * *

Fred was sprawled on the sofa and read through a new charm that he and George had been developing together. It was still in the beginning of the testing process so there were many things that needed to be adjusted and perfected before they would be able to test it at all. He smirked as Hermione's determined voice came through the portrait hole and he sat up and waited for the trio to reveal themselves.

"... then I'll plan his lessons out for him! That evil woman is not taking Hagrid."

Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off of them as the Fat Lady's painting shut securely behind them.

"And what were you three up to this evening... and so late after curfew?" Fred smirked as three very startled faces turned to him, "What? Never been caught by a fellow Gryffindor?"

"Well… no," Ron stammered, "The lot of them just leave us alone."

Hermione cleared her throat, "No one really seems to mind as long as we don't lose house points." She started again in a more formal tone, "We're _very_ careful. And with the cloak and the map, we easily avoid anyone else in the halls."

"Wonderful… glad you lot didn't get caught…" Fred nodded his head and pointed to the boys' staircase, "... Rubbish day today... Off to bed with you two."

"You're not Mum," Ron crossed his arms over his chest as he stated the obvious.

"I do realize that, Ronald. I had a shite day as well, if you recall correctly, so I plan on snogging my girlfriend a bit and trying to forget that my broom is locked up somewhere under the Toad's thumb."

Harry snorted as Ron make an expression that looked like a combination of disgust and sympathy. Thankfully Harry said his good-nights and dragged Ron to their dorm room before any more words could be exchanged.

"You are completely embarrassing sometimes," Hermione mumbled.

"Got us alone, didn't I?" Fred caught her hand and guided Hermione around the sofa before pulling her down beside him, "Today was utter shite. I needed some Hermione time."

The witch beside him sighed sadly, "I am sorry about today. I still can't believe she banned you as well."

Fred adjusted himself so that he was leaning comfortably against the back of the couch and Hermione was beside him, using his shoulder as a pillow. She pulled a blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over them.

He tucked Hermione's head under his chin, "I would have _earned_ my lifelong ban if the girls hadn't been holding me back."

"It's a good thing they did… I'm sure it could have been much worse," Fred noticed that she gripped his shirt a little as she said this. He hated being the cause of her worry; Hermione already concerned herself with more than she needed to.

Fred placed his hand over hers and began to trace soothing circles on her skin. He wanted to get both their minds off of the whole debacle, "So, Hagrid's back?"

Hermione nodded her head. She told him briefly about the visit; explaining in a soft voice where their half-giant friend had been for the last few months. Hermione voiced her anxiety over Hagrid's first class inspection from Umbridge and how much she desperately wanted to make sure that Care of Magical Creatures went smoothly.

Fred smiled as he listened to the witch's concerns; it was actually calming for him. And he smiled as he felt the tension in her shoulders loosen a bit as she was able to talk things through.

A smirk took over Fred's face as Hermione yawned and she stretched out one of her arms, "Oh, almost forgot to congratulate you on embarrassing Malfoy."

Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled, "I shouldn't have done that... bait him like that. But I saw Madame Hooch walking over and I knew that Harry and George, at least, were going to be in horrible trouble. And with Malfoy being so chummy with Umbridge, I was afraid he wouldn't receive any punishment at all..."

"So you actually planned all of that?" Fred felt a strange swell of pride for the witch sitting in front of him. The smile on his face actually began to hurt, "You're bloody brilliant. I honestly..." he couldn't find the words to express how wonderful she was, "... it was perfect. I heard that Malfoy has to serve detention for a full week with McGonagall, and you know she won't go easy on him for that kind of language."

"I still should have done it," Hermione's eyes fell to the sofa.

"Are you kidding?" Fred laughed as he tilted her chin up to meet his gaze, "This just proves that I was right all along. You're so much more than just book smarts and a pretty face; you're amazing."

* * *

 _I'm just going to leave your imaginations to run a bit after that comment..._

 _=)_

 _Hope you all enjoyed the weekend of Fremione. I will need a few days off to work on my other stories (and this one of course). But don't worry, I'll be back with more soon._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review. I really do love hearing from all of you._

 _***Reviews can be very helpful...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	41. Chapter 41

_Hello all!_

 _Happy Valentines Day! Just wanted to thank everyone who Followed and Favorited last chapter. And to yeeeeey, Guest, FleurSuoh, missscosette08, Seeker gal 360, helloberrie, Guest, GinnyPotter6891, Raven that flies at night, OnceUponATimeGeek2020, and Guest; thank you for taking an extra minute or two to comment._

* * *

 **Hermione POV**

"You're _sure_ you want to try this?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Hermione rolled her eyes and smirked, "Don't you trust your own spells?"

Fred looked a bit blanched as he placed the little cube into the witch's hand.

She had volunteered to test the Daydream Charm that Fred and George had been working on for the past few months. Hermione very much wanted to help the twins with their joke shop aspirations and she thought that this might also deter the two wizards from testing on the younger students.

"Well, yea…" Fred shrugged casually, but Hermione could tell that there was a bit of worry behind his expression, "... I've gotten the safety issues taken care of, I'm just not sure how it will work for you."

"If that's all you're concerned about, then I am absolutely sure," Hermione offered her boyfriend a gentle smile and held the box protectively against her chest.

"Better settle somewhere then, I don't need you falling over in the middle of the charm," Fred chuckled uncomfortably and arranged some of the floor cushions against the wall so that Hermione would have a comfortable spot to sit down.

They had gone to the Room of Requirement so that they could test the charm without any interruption or gawkers. Fred had insisted that he wasn't completely sure about all the side effects for the charm. He had mentioned that he and George had experienced glassy eyes and some severe saliva issues; though Fred had stated that the drooling had only happened to his twin.

Hermione sat down and pulled one of the pillows onto her lap and placed the cube on top of it, "Alright, now you _cannot_ tease me if I drool, or I will never help you with a product again."

Fred raised his right hand and tried not to grin, "I swear I won't utter a word."

Her fingers hesitated for a moment over the little box; she took a quick breath and smiled up at her still very anxious boyfriend, "See you in a bit."

She opened the box and a cloud of pink and purple swirled and coiled together as they rose out of the box. Just as they reached Hermione's face, her vision temporarily blacked out.

* * *

 _As her eyes came back into focus, Hermione found herself in a simply decorated sitting room. The walls were painted a neutral beige with bright white trim, with one wall of the room lined in floor-to-ceiling windows. All the natural light that flooded in made the space feel warm and welcoming which appeared to compliment the rich red sofa and chairs perfectly._

 _Hermione was seated on the sofa with a fuzzy blanket wrapped around her and a thick novel resting in her lap. As she looked around the room and took in the beautiful little apartment, the witch noticed that the place gave her a comforted and safe feeling._

 _She turned her head toward the front door just as it swung open and someone entered, "'Morning, Love."_

 _It was Fred, but he looked different._

 _Hermione felt herself offer a huge smile to the wizard as she returned the greeting and tried to determine what exactly had changed about him._

 _Then it dawned on her._

 _Fred was older._

 _He looked to be in his early-twenties._

 _She found herself a bit awed at how striking her boyfriend was. He no longer had that boyish face; though the mischievous twinkle, that she had grown accustomed to while at Hogwarts, still remained. And the stubble that had collected around his cheeks and chin gave him an appealing rugged quality. Fred gave her a lopsided grin as he strode over to her, which only made him look more handsome. He collapsed right beside her on the couch and dragged the witches legs over his own, "Merlin… I hate inventory day. It's not even noon yet and I'm already spent."_

 _Hermione chuckled as she marked her page and gently dropped her book onto the floor beside the sofa, "If you're finished already though, we still have plenty of time before we have to go to the burrow for Sunday dinner."_

 _Fred leaned his head back on the cushion, closed his tired eyes and groaned, "... don't remind me…"_

 _"It won't be that bad."_

 _"It won't be that bad for you… Mum will probably resume her long winded lecture over the importance of marriage as soon as she can get me alone," the wizard rubbed his face in exasperation._

 _"We're still young; we have plenty of time to figure all that out," Hermione pulled at his arms until she could see his face again._

 _Fred turned toward her, "Apparently not; twenty-three is approaching old-maid status." He stuck out his bottom lip playfully, "Will you still want me if I turn into an unwanted fuddy-duddy?"_

 _"If I can convince you about how little I care about hurrying into marriage and your impending spinster status , will you stop sulking about dinner?"_

 _"And how will you convince me of such things?" the edges of Fred's mouth twitched upward as if he knew exactly what she might do to persuade him._

 _Hermione chuckled as she removed the blanket that she had been wearing and threw it over the back of the sofa. She pulled herself up onto her knees and arranged herself so that she was seated right in her boyfriend's lap. Hermione placed a hand on either side of Fred's face and smiled sweetly as she gazed directly into his golden brown eyes, "I love you, Fred Weasley. That is the only thing that should matter. We can be engaged for as long as we like."_

 _She leaned forward and captured Fred's smiling lips._

 _The kiss was slow at first. Hermione felt Fred gently lay a hand on her waist and the other right above her knee. As she tilted her head and wrapped one of her arms around the wizard's neck, she felt his hand slowly slide up her thigh. The contact sent electric pulsing up her body._

 _Hermione smiled into the kiss and pulled away slightly, "are you beginning to believe me yet?"_

 _Fred shook his head, "I think I'll need a little more convincing." He easily lifted Hermione off of his lap and laid her down on the sofa before following her, and gently placing his body on top of hers._

 _She could feel his every taut muscle as Fred moved against her, claimed her lips and began to play with the hem of Hermione's blouse. They moved so in sync that it felt like a very well choreographed dance, but soon the anticipation that had been building was just too much to ignore, "Can we move to the bed? Our sofa is far too small for this."_

 _Fred smirked against her neck. He pressed a few soft kisses along her jawline before pulling them both off of the couch and throwing her over his shoulder. Hermione giggled as he carried her over to the bedroom door. He bend down until her toes touched the ground and she was able to stand on her own two feet. Fred wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her shoulder, "No thoughts of running off with some famous quidditch player."_

 _Hermione shook her head and smiled coyly up at him, "Never." She placed her hands on Fred's shoulders and he caught Hermione as she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He smiled happily into the deep kiss._

 _And just as Fred kicked the door of the bedroom closed…_

* * *

… Hermione's head jerked up as she came out of the daydream.

She blinked her eyes until her sight came into clear focus and Hermione looked up and met Fred's concerned face. The witch quickly dropped her gaze to the floor and felt her face grow very warm.

"Is everything alright? Did the charm work?" He asked, his nervousness lacing every word, "You're not hurt, are you?"

Hermione shook her head, not able to find her voice quickly enough. She cleared her throat a few times and was finally able to speak, "Fine… it worked very well. Just…"

"Just what?" Fred crouched down so that he was eye level again. His brows were furrowed and his mouth turned down with worry.

She didn't know what to say; Hermione wasn't sure how to even _begin_ explaining, "... just… a little... I'd rather not talk about it. It worked perfectly; felt very real… it was just a bit embarrassing." She spoke very quickly before she covered her face. Hermione smiled shyly as she met her boyfriend's eyes again.

Surprisingly, Fred's ears began to turn red as he grinned a little at Hermione, "Oh… yes, well… that does seem to happen occasionally. Might be another side effect we need to put on the disclaimer."

* * *

 _Just a little fluff... and teasing... for Valentines Day. Did you like?_

 _Please keep in mind that this is K+, so certain things need to remain vague or be creatively cut-off. Hope you all can understand._

 _And I will consider making the next section of this T rated if the interest if there._

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review. I really do love hearing from all of you._

 _***All kinds of Reviews are wonderful...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	42. Chapter 42

_Hello all you wonderful peoples!_

 _Thank you and huge hugs to everyone who Followed and Favorited last chapter. And reviewers; Charmfeather, Primrue, Yeeeey, Wizard Flower, OnceUponATimeGeek2020, Guest, BCgurlie, ArmyWife22079, jperks, magpie6789, Raven that flies at night, trumpetgrl2, and GinnyPotter6891... You all are the very best._

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

As soon as Hermione had admitted to the embarrassing daydream, and with the very flushed face and avoidance of eye contact, Fred had a fairly good idea of what she might have seen in her dream. He didn't know any of the details of course, the charm didn't allow for eavesdropping. But Fred was fairly certain that he had made an appearance in _her_ dream.

Fred had also had a few experiments of his own with the magical daydreams that may or may-not have co-starred said witch…

The first couple of days had been a little awkward. And even though Hermione had been determined to not allow the daydream charm to affect how she acted around Fred, he could tell that she was still a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey there," Fred wrapped an arm loosely around Hermione's waist and kissed her temple. He had snatched her away from Harry and Ron as soon as they had exited their History of Magic class.

Hermione's cheeks flushed a little pink, "Hi, Fred." She offered him a small smile before dropping her gaze. Though the witch stepped into the side hug without any reservation, her expression still made the Weasley twin a bit sad.

He glanced around the hallway; there were a few straggling fifth years at the other end of the corredor, but they seemed to be preoccupied in some kind of argument over the essay that Binns had just assigned. Fred released Hermione's waist and instead took her hand as he picked up the pace and led the witch to the adjoining hallway and behind the tapestry that many believed to depict Merlin himself.

He was happy to find the little alcove was still there.

It was a bit dark and drearier than he had remembered it being, but thankfully the spiders had not rebuilt their webs since the last time Fred had used the corridor for a prank sometime last year.

" _Lumos_ ," he lit the end of his wand and quickly found an old unlit torch, " _Incendio_." The flame flickered and threw strange shadows against the wall as Fred removed his own bag and dropped it on the floor. He took Hermione's bag as well, but used a little more care as he placed it next to his own.

Hermione stood silently by as she watched all of this with curious eyes. The witch said nothing until Fred was standing in front of her and smiling at her patiently, "... um, is… is everything alright?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Fred tried not to laugh, but his grin was difficult to diminish.

"Oh," Hermione took a breathe, "Oh yes… yes, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Fred placed his hands on her upper arms and tried to be comforting, "Hermione, look… relationships are difficult enough. It will make things much easier if we just talk to one another when something isn't right."

The brunette nodded, "That seems logical…" But she didn't sound convinced in the slightest.

Fred took a quick gulp of air, "I'll go first then, shall I?" He took a little step forward, so that they were closer as he spoke, "I've been testing the daydream charm with George now for… three months, I believe. We found that the spell usually draws its imagery from a person's subconscious, but it can also be heavily influenced by a person's fleeting thoughts before the charm is activated. George said he actually dreamed about a singing treacle tart one time he was testing simply because it was served after dinner that night and Angie had been humming a Weird Sisters song before we went up to our dorm room."

Fred was a bit relieved to finally get a chuckle out of the witch. Hermione looked a bit calmer as she took in the information; she understood that Fred was trying to explain away whatever she had dreamed with some kind of logical sense, "So you're saying I could have dreamed whatever I dreamed simply because it was in close proximity to me?"

"Yes," Fred realized that he didn't exactly enjoy the idea of having to convince Hermione to not be afraid of what she had daydreamed. But he so desperately wanted to go back to their relationship where things were slowly progressing forwards, not taking shy steps backwards.

Hermione nodded her head again, this time looking a little more convinced of his words.

"And they are just daydreams, Hermione. It's just a charm," Fred slid his hands slowly down her arms until he reached her hands. She smiled easily back at him but pulled her hands free of his grasp.

The witch closed the gap between them and draped her arms around his waist, "I know that. I just… it was…" a very determined expression crossed Hermione's face, "It was just a bit shocking to see what I saw. I was a bit embarrassed at first; I'm sure you noticed. But it was actually enlightening."

"Enlightening; really?" Fred locked his hands behind Hermione's back. He was honestly a little afraid she was going to run for it, "Care to share?"

"Lets just say that it took place... a few years in the _future_ , we were still together and things got a little carried away," Hermione flushed at her own words but made no move to bolt away, "I just wasn't sure what you would think about the future aspect... we've only been dating since the summer holiday, and it seemed a bit presumptuous..."

"It will take more than that to scare me off, Granger," Fred smirked, "And are you sure there wasn't anything else that was making you so self-conscious that you couldn't look directly at me?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed with an overly dramatic flare, "Well, of course there was. But I'm not naive enough to think that I wouldn't want to 'get carried away' with you… _eventually_."

"Well, I think I can work with that," he bent down and captured Hermione's lips.

Fred smiled as the witch leaned against him and gripped his shirt to steady herself. He placed a hand on the small of her back to help Hermione feel secure, and then brought up his other hand to rest against her neck and gently direct her. Fred moved to deepen the kiss and was a little surprised as Hermione responded by rising to her toes to get a better angle.

They stood there, lost in their own little world for several long minutes.

Hermione had to pull away first, "I have to go…"

"I know," Fred was actually a little relieved she had to get to class; he was beginning to question his own resolve and patience.

"I'll see you at dinner?" Hermione collected her bag and extra books before allowing Fred to wrap her in another embrace.

"I'll see you there. Have fun with McGonagall," Fred stole one last kiss before sending the witch on her way.

After Hermione had disappeared, Fred slumped against the wall of the alcove, "... maybe snogging in dark corners _isn't_ a good idea."

He began to mentally list out as many unpleasant and unappealing things as he could think of.

* * *

 _Really can't thank you all enough for the love and comments from last chapter._

 _Just a note, I will be continuing this story as K+ for now. Let Fred and Hermione grow a little first and then we can get into T stuff._

 _I promise. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review. Any kind of comments really are appreciated!  
_

 _***I love Reviews so very much...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out my other stories too! ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson.' Or if you need more Hermione and Fred in your life, try out 'Begin Again,' which is now **complete**!_


	43. Chapter 43

_Hello! Happy weekend to all!_

 _Thank yous all around for anyone who Followed ad Favorited last chapter. And extra thanks to those who took an extra minute to review;_ _jperks, Yeeeey, OnceUponATimeGeek2020, Raven that flies at night and Primrue. You all are always so wonderful to me. =)_

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

Fred offered a sympathetic smile as Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville sulked during lunch and explained what had happened during their Care for Magical Creatures class. It had gone horribly, and Hermione in particular was completely beside herself with worry. She thought that Hagrid was definitely going to be sacked, and the witch could not bring herself to even eat a bite of shepard's pie because of it.

"I really don't think starving yourself is going to solve anything," Fred whispered as he placed a quick kiss right next to her ear.

Hermione gave him a tight grin, "I realize… just can't stomach anything right now." She picked up a small bit of the mashed potatoes and dropped it off her fork when it was a few inches above the plate, "Are you finished eating?"

Fred took a long drink of his pumpkin juice and stashed a roll in the inner pocket of his robes, "I'm all yours, Granger." He gave her a wide grin as he stood and offered her his hand.

Hermione felt herself smile involuntarily as he saw Ron moke gag, and Harry and Neville chuckle out of the corner of her eye. She decided to not comment on their reactions this time, "See you after Arithmancy."

Fred and Hermione absentmindedly wandered the empty halls.

"What are your plans for Christmas Holiday?" Fred asked her as they jumped onto one of the moving staircases. He put a protective hand at her waist as the stairs jostled to a stop.

"Well, I'm going skiing with my parents. My mom wants to go to Switzerland this year. It's supposed to be beautiful and a lovely resort, but I'm not exactly excited," Hermione laced their fingers together as they walked down a corridor.

"What's skiing?"

"Oh," Hermione smiled, a bit embarrassed that she forgot that the sport wasn't a magical activity, "It's essentially sliding down a large, snow covered mountain with a long wooden shoe strapped to each of your feet and only two rods helping to keep you upright through the whole process."

Fred chuckled as his eyes grew wide, "Sounds awful."

Hermione nodded her head, "It is! At least _I_ think it is. I spent the majority of our last ski trip keeping warm by the fireplace and reading."

"Sounds a bit like a biased opinion then, if the skiing was taking you away from your books," Fred pulled her up another flight of stairs.

"It is… but my parents love it," she shrugged her shoulders casually, "at least Switzerland has good chocolate. That _should_ distract me from the cold."

The wizard beside her laughed openly at Hermione's attempt at reasoning with herself, "Family obligations can be… tricky sometimes."

She nodded her head as they climbed yet another set of stairs, "What are you doing for the holiday?"

"Just the usual, I expect," Fred offered the Fat Lady the current password when they found themselves on the seventh floor, right outside of Gryffindor tower. The portrait swung forward to admit them into the common room, "Though we might be holed up at Grimmauld Place like we were this summer, instead of at the Burrow."

"At least Sirius will have some company for Christmas," Hermione smiled, she hoped that Harry would be able to visit his godfather during the break as well. It would probably do them both some good.

Fred tossed his bag onto a nearby chair before grabbing the witch and wrapping her in his arms, "I don't think I'm going to like you being so far away."

"Yes, well it might be good practice for when you graduate and have to leave me behind at Hogwarts next year," Hermione giggled lightly at the exaggerated hurt expression that Fred wore.

"Well, it's not as if we didn't know I was a seventh year," he pouted a little as he pulled the witch over to their favorite couch by the fireplace.

Outer robes were quickly removed and Hermione smiled wildly as she allowed Fred to help her temporarily forget about the issues at hand.

Kissing Fred always seemed to make things a little better…

* * *

Hermione wasn't sure what had woken her up.

Her eyes shot open and a nervous churning had begun in her stomach that didn't allow her to go back to sleep, but she had no idea why she would be feeling this way.

The day before had been relatively uneventful; meals and classes had been conducted like any other day. She had spent some time alone with Fred after dinner. And then the DA had held it's last lesson before the Christmas Holiday. Harry had decided to review everything that they had learned thus far, which Hermione had thought was a brilliant suggestion since they had gone over at least a dozen different spells since forming the group. But of course, Zacharias Smith had pitched a small fit at the idea of not learning something new. Hermione and Ginny had to hold onto the twins so that they couldn't flog the unpleasant boy.

But other than Harry being half shocked half giddy about Cho Chang kissing him, even though her crying issue had made an appearance; there had not been anything terribly worrisome about the day.

So why was Hermione awake?

She quietly sneaked out of bed and tiptoed out into the hall. Hermione had planned to just walk off the uneasy feeling by making a lap of the tower, maybe glancing over a book by the fire, and returning to bed. But as she passed the fourth year's dorm room, Hermione was met by Professor McGonagall escorting Ginny out of bed.

"Miss Granger, _what_ are you doing out of bed at this hour?" the head of Gryffindor was usually stern, but she was rarely this short with the students.

"I couldn't sleep. I was going to sit by the fire for a little while. Maybe read until I grew tired again," Hermione caught sight of her professor's expression and immediately blanched herself, "Professor McGonagall, what's happened?"

The older witch shook her head, "I'm sorry Miss Granger. I know of your close affiliation with the Weasley's, but I cannot divulge any information at the moment. All I can tell you is that the Weasley's are expected at the Headmaster's office; we must move quickly."

Ginny locked eyes with Hermione; she looked terrified.

Hermione's chest clenched painfully, "Can I come with you… just to the common room. I'll stay with Ginny while you get the others."

Professor McGonagall nodded her head curtly and led them quickly down the spiral staircase.

As they reached the last stair of the girls' dormitory, Ginny reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand in a vice grip and the witches leaned together so they could whisper, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Hermione shook her head, "None at all."

The two witch's only had to wait a few minutes for their head of house to return with the Weasley twins in tow. They were both wearing their usual night clothes with only the addition of their pea coats.

"Oh, I forgot my jacket," Ginny sprinted toward the stairs and disappeared before McGonagall had time to remind her to hurry.

George offered a small wave, "I'll keep McGonagall busy while you say goodbye."

Fred nodded his head, "Thanks."

"Goodbye?" Hermione looked at her boyfriend with surprise, "But there's still two days left of term. And where's Ron?"

Fred wrapped his arms tightly around the witch and bent his neck down slightly so that he could speak directly into her ear, "Something's happened to Dad. Neville said that Harry was screaming and clutching his head… he went on about seeing our Dad being attacked and that he was badly bleeding somewhere. Harry also kept insisting that it wasn't a dream and that he had actually seen it happen. Ron's with Harry now, I think they're already at Dumbledore's office."

Hermione felt her head spin with all the new information, "It has to deal with the Order in some way or Professor McGonagall wouldn't be in such a rush… she needs to get you all out of here before Undridge can question you or hold you hostage or something."

Fred nodded his head, obviously reaching the same conclusion already.

"Don't owl me until I get home. I don't want to give her the opportunity to intercept _any_ information; but write me as soon as the holiday starts and tell me everything. Alright?" Hermione tucked her head into Fred's shoulder and hugged him tightly, trying to offer some comfort before he had to leave.

Ginny returned to the common room, woolen jacket in hand and a bit flushed by her running.

"Come along, no more time to waste," McGonagall exited through the portrait hole at a brisk pace.

George grabbed Ginny's hand and they both muttered goodbye to Hermione as they disappeared as well.

Hermione pulled herself back just enough to kiss Fred soundly on the mouth. "Everything is going to be fine, I'm sure of it."

Fred nodded his head without a word, but he didn't look very convinced.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers again briefly before he followed the others out of Gryffindor tower.

* * *

 _Eek! Hated writing that last bit. I really didn't like what happened to poor Mr. Weasley. But it did allow Hermione to practice being calm ad supportive girlfriend. How did she do?_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review. Any kind of comments really are appreciated!  
_

 _***I love Reviews so very much...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check_


	44. Chapter 44

_Weekend, woohoo!_

 _Can't thank the Followers and Favoriters for last chapter enough. And Reviewers: Heymemgirl11, Raven that flies at night, FleurSuoh, Yeeeey, GinnyPotter6891, Creaturess of the Night, Primrue and OnceUponATimeGeek2020; could never keep going with this story without your support._

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

As soon as Hermione had stepped over the threshold of her house, there had been a pecking at the window. Fred's owl, Sophia, waited patiently on the windowsill with a lengthy letter. He hadn't gone into gruesome detail, but Fred had explained as much as possible about what had happened a few night's before term had ended. Some of the night's happenings were still being considered classified by the Order, but Fred and George had pieced together a very reasonable theory.

The letter had explained how Mr. Weasley had been guarding something important to Voldemort, and how he had been attacked by some horrible animal… possibly a giant snake according to the brief glance that George had gotten, Mr. Weasley's own slip and another testing of the Extendable Ears. Author had lost a lot of blood, and even though the wizarding hospital had been able to stabilize him by using generous amounts of blood replenisher every hour, the Healers were still having trouble closing the wound. Fred had mentioned that Harry was distraught and looked guilty every time he was seen. The Weasley twin mentioned that the eavesdropping had also revealed a bit of information on the Potter front as well; Harry was seeing things through the eyes of Voldemort's snake. Her boyfriend had suggested that Hermione and Ron intervene about that as soon as they were able to.

And despite all the events and emotions, Fred had still wished her a Happy Holiday and hoped that Hermione would still find some way to have fun skiing with her parents.

' _Fred,_

 _You are absolutely mad if you think that I'm still going on holiday after all this… I've already spoken to my parents. I told them that my O.W.L.'s workload is far greater than I had imagined and that all the serious students are staying home to get extra studying done. They've moved their travel dates for after I go back to Hogwarts. That way we can spend Christmas together as a family and they can still have their ski trip later._

 _Please send my positive thoughts and well wished to your family, especially your father. Have they thought about trying any muggle means of closing the wound? There are several that I know of, none that are very pleasant of course… but still, they should be taken into consideration if the laceration can't be healed magically._

 _And don't worry about Harry, I'm already formulating a plan. I will make sure to figure out something with Ronald's help._

 _Oh, and I told my parents a general statement about your father being sick, so they understand that I would like to visit once or twice over our break._

 _-Hermione'_

"Are you sure it's alright, Mum?"

"Of course, dear," Hermione's mother answered for the fifth time that day, "Your father has already called the travel agent and adjusted everything. They didn't even charge us any fees; apparently there was another family that immediately took up the original dates that we had."

Hermione smiled with huge relief and appreciation for her parents, "You and Dad are wonderful, thank you."

"Well, we still expect to see you downstairs without your books on occasion. Tea and family games every day, unless you're visiting the Weasley and Harry. And your father and I are very serious about this boyfriend of yours coming for Boxing Day," Mrs. Granger's smile was a little lopsided as she watched her daughter blush, "We would very much like to get to know him better."

"Yes, Mum. I'll talk to him about it and get back to you. I promise," Hermione had loosy agreed to that condition after her parents had so willingly reschedule their trip to Switzerland. She wasn't sure why, but Hermione was completely terrified by the idea of her parents meeting Fred as her significant other… even though they had met him before.

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

It had barely been two days since their late-night arrival at Grimmauld Place, but the sting and weight of Sirius's words still felt like a boulder on Fred's shoulders.

He and George had insisted and argued with Harry's godfather, they had desperately wanted to see to their father. But Sirius had been correct in not allowing them to go. It's not as if they could have said Professor Trelawney had seen into the future or something, no one took the witch's _sight_ seriously.

And Harry having visions…

Fred wasn't sure what he could do for the Boy-Who-Lived. None of the Weasley's blamed him for what had happened, but Harry sulked around Grimmauld Place like it was entirely his fault. It was absolutely terrifying to think about Harry having a connection to the giant snake that had attacked Mr. Weasley, but he knew that Harry would never harm anyone in the family. Fred had tried to speak with Harry himself, but the younger wizard wouldn't even meet his eyes. So the only course of action had been to tell Hermione about the situation and hope that his brilliant girlfriend could get through to the boy.

But the worst part had been what Sirius had said about the Order.

Fred and George had been pressing the issue all summer about joining the Order since they were finally of age. But Sirius had brought up some delicate issues that were making Fred second guess his future involvement in the secret organization… Maybe he didn't understand exactly what was worth dying for… but Fred _did_ understand that he had lashed out at Sirius when he was not the real enemy in this.

He had quietly apologized to the older wizard the following morning. Fred knew that it was necessary and the right thing to do. He also knew that when Hermione found out about what he had said to Sirius, she would be furious… the apology might have been a little influenced by self preservation as well.

The entire inhabitants of Grimmauld place had spent that morning hanging decorations, attempting to turn the dark and dreary house cheery looking for the Christmas Holiday. Fred and George had tried to trick Harry into taking part, but the dark haired boy had muttered his refusal and disappeared; he had been gone for most of the day.

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

At six-o'clock they rang the doorbell and sent Mrs. Black into a loud cursing frenzy. When Sirius opened the door though, he wasn't his usual surly self. He was actually smiling and humming Christmas carols over the ' _...filthy vermin...'_ and ' _... blood traitor...'_ screams behind him.

"You really shouldn't bother knocking, Dora. You are family, after all," Sirius stated as he gave his cousin's daughter a tight hug.

"Oh, you know me. Can't pass up a chance to be greeted by my dear great aunt…" Tonks mumbled as she carefully sidestepped the umbrella stand, "We took the tube instead of apparating anyway, might as well complete the muggle trip with a muggle entrance."

The pink haired witch placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Remus or I will be escorting you back home; don't leave without one of us."

Hermione nodded her head and hugged her favorite Auror before she ducked back out onto the muggle street.

"Good to see you, Hermione," Sirius enveloped the young witch in a welcoming hug, "You've been missed around here."

She noticed how happy the wizard seemed and she couldn't help but smile, "I take it you don't mind sharing the house?"

He shook his head, "Of course not. And I get to spend Christmas with my godson… if he can come to terms with what's going on with himself and put it aside." Sirius faced her with a troubling frown in place, "I'm worried about him. I've tried to just be chipper all day in hopes that it would bring him round, but he's disappeared upstairs. I guess he needed some time alone… I wasn't quite sure what to do."

Hermione sighed heavily. She understood the concept of giving people space, but that was really all Harry had gotten growing up. He needed support and intervention… he needed family. Then it dawned on her; she and Sirius were his family. The Weasley's loved Harry very much but this incident was probably occupying their time. It was Sirius and Hermione's responsibility to focus on Harry, "I'm sure with you and I together, we can get Harry out of this mood… At least temporarily so he can enjoy Christmas."

Sirius offered her a blinding grin, "Harry's rather lucky to have us, isn't he?"

"He probably won't think that after I've yelled at him, but yes," Hermione smirked and hugged the wizard again.

"Right then," Sirius attempted to cover his snort with a cough, "Say hello to the Weasley's and that boyfriend of yours, then see to our boy."

* * *

"Hermione?"

She threw herself at Fred and hugged him tightly.

He smiled and Hermione felt some tension in his shoulders release as Fred wrapped his arms around her, "What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd be able to visit until after the holiday."

"Mum and Dad had an emergency with a patient, so Tonks brought me over," Hermione untangled herself from her boyfriend and stepped over to give George a tight embrace as well, "I'm so sorry about your father being attached. I'm glad he's doing well."

George smiled tightly, "Yea, he's better. We're all doing alright, except for Harry it seems."

Hermione, "Yes and I'm off to deal with that right now. See you both at dinner?"

The twins nodded in agreement.

Hermione went out to the hallway and began up the stairs.

"Hey, Hermione," she turned to find Fred standing on the step right below her. He wrapped an arm behind her back, a hand at the base of her neck and quickly kissed her. Fred pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words seemed to stick. He cleared his throat, "I… I missed you."

Hermione smiled, "I missed you too."

* * *

 _Needed to throw some different opinions and POV's at you all to cover my bases and move the story along... put a few little references (kind of like easter eggs) just for fun... and of course, a bit of fluff to round out the chapter._

 _Let me know what you think!_

 _I'll hopefully be back tomorrow too. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews of any kind are welcome with open arms...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	45. Chapter 45

_Hey there! So yea... so sorry... read after the chapter for more apologies..._

 _Thank you to all the Followers and Favoriters for last chapter. And Reviewers of course;_ _GinnyPotter6891, jperks, Yeeeey, Wizard Flower, Raven that flies at night ,Primrue, and Heymemegirl11. You all are amazing and I appreciate the love!_

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

Whatever had been said to Harry during the mini intervention that Hermione led… it had worked.

Fred was a bit proud and relieved by the almost cheery expression that the Boy-who-lived now wore at the dinner table. Though the younger wizard did seem to wear a strange guilty look whenever he glanced at Ginny.

"What did you all say to Harry? He's not as depressing as he was before," Fred whispered to Hermione as he took her hand under the table.

The witch smirked, "We just told him that he was being ridiculous and that no one thinks that he is at fault for what happened to your father."

Fred nodded his head, "And Ginny? What did she say that's making Harry look halfway ashamed?"

"Oh…" Hermione shifted slightly in her seat and scooted a little closer to Fred on the kitchen bench, "Ginny reminded Harry that she's the only person we know that has been possessed by You-Know-Who, and since he thought that might be what he's going through now... she told him that he was being a bit of a tosser for forgetting that."

It was Fred's turn to feel uncomfortable.

Ginny's first year at Hogwarts had been one that he desperately wished he could forget.

So many terrible things had happened that year. They had gotten bloody Lockheart as a Defense teacher and the incompetent wizard had caused _plenty_ of unnecessary issues. His sister had gone quiet and mousy, which Fred had simply written off as the girl adjusting to school life. He and George felt so guilty about ignoring the signs that something had been wrong with Ginny that the twins had been extra nice to her the following year and made sure that no one else in the family or Hogwarts had bothered her. Oh, and a giant poisonous serpent, who could kill you simply by looking at you, had been roaming around the castle petrifying muggleborns… _petrifying Hermione_.

Fred squeezed Hermione's hand a little more forcefully than he had intended to.

"What is it?" the witch asked as she looked up at him.

He offered her a small smile and quickly pecked her forehead, "Sorry… it's nothing."

* * *

After Hermione left with Remus, the rest of the Weasley's, Harry and Sirius settled in for the night. Everyone was still exhausted from the last few days so retiring to bed early did not seem like a terrible idea.

Fred and George both seemed to be having some trouble turning their minds off though.

"Do you think Sirius was right?" Fred finally asked out loud the question that had been flipping over in his head since yesterday.

"About what?" George sounded tired, but Fred could see his twin still staring at the ceiling.

Fred blew some air out of his cheeks, "About how we don't understand how the Order works."

"Probably," George moaned as he massaged his head, "I know we like to think we're all grown up now that we're of age... But there are still things we need to learn. Even I'm not enough of a idiot to think we know _everything_. But we were worried about Dad before, weren't we... clouded our judgement, right?"

"Right," Fred muttered more to himself then to his twin. He propped himself up on an elbow and faced his brother, "We 'don't understand that there are things worth dying for'… do you think that's true as well?"

"Well, we didn't exactly show off our most logical side…" George sighed heavily.

"No… easy to forget about the greater good when it's your own Dad in the crossfire," Fred saw his brother nod in agreement. He cleared his throat, "I… I suppose that's something we need to sort out and completely understand before they'll let us join up."

George nodded his head, "Yea… that's probably going to be a difficult one to adjust too. _Sacrificing one for the many_ … I… I can't believe it may come to that. But I don't think we can ignore it for much longer. War _is_ coming. And if we want to help defeat You-Know-Who with the Order we're going to have to grow up and accept that."

Fred laid back down on his bed and began nervously picking at his fingers. He started thinking about his family; every single one of them who were of age were part of the Order. Their friends at Hogwarts who knew about the Order, and believed that Voldemort had indeed returned, wanted to join as soon as possible. Ron and Ginny, though not of age , also wanted to be involved in helping bring around the end of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry seemed to always be a part of the Dark Lord's plans. And wherever and whatever Harry ended up doing, Ron and Hermione seemed to be right beside him. Hermione would _always_ fight beside Harry, "Yea… we're going to have to accept a lot of things; aren't we."

Defeating Voldemort was something worth dying for, but maybe there were other things… other people worth protecting as well.

* * *

Fred didn't sleep well that night. Thoughts of Hermione, Ron and Harry invaded his conscious and unconscious thoughts.

It had not bothered him very much before; Fred had always known that Hermione would stand by her friends, especially Harry… he was her brother… and wouldn't Fred do the exact same for George? But the panic and dread didn't seem to diminish at all with the realization.

The anxiety did lead him to an understanding though.

The next morning, as George began clumsily banging around their room to prepare for another visit to St. Mungo's, Fred took a deep breath and admitting the truth to himself.

He would never be comfortable with the idea of Hermione getting into dangerous, and often deadly, situations. And Fred knew he would struggle with seeing her face those dangers, especially if he couldn't be there beside her. But Hermione wouldn't be the witch he's fallen for if she didn't stand, unwavering, by her beliefs.

Fred got out of bed and rifled around for some warm clothes.

"Morning, Freddie. Figured out the meaning of life yet?" George laughed good naturedly at his own joke and clapped his twin on the shoulder. Just because the were going to need to start growing up didn't mean that they had to completely lose their teasing humor.

"And what if I did?" Fred chuckled lightly and glanced over at his brother.

George smirked, "So what is it then?"

Fred shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "I think I understand that whole ' _there are things worth dying for'_ issue. Also realized that we're going to have to... _make peace_ with the others living by that rule as well."

The lopsided grin fell from George's face, "Right... that might be more difficult than accepting the rule ourselves, yea?"

Fred nodded his head. The look on George's face let him know that his twin knew exactly which other people Fred had been thinking of.

"They'll manage though... and they always seem to make it through in one piece," George lifted his jacket from the back of the desk chair, "Whatever's coming, whatever happens; they'll be fine... _She'll_ make sure of that."

A snort escaped Fred's mouth before he could stop it.

* * *

 ** _Insanely_** _ **sorry** for the huge gap in updating. I got the flu and... it was not fun... again... **SORRY**! =(_

 _This chapter, I wanted to show the twins realization that they were going to need to start growing up and dealing with more adult things now that they are of age. I felt like, in the books, they just suddenly became part of the Order after they started the shop or something... we never really found anything out. So this was me planting some seeds._

 _Let me know what you all think too!_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews make me feel better...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	46. Chapter 46

_Yay! I'm finally feeling better and writing a ton more._

 _Thank you to all the Followers, Favoriters and Reviewers!_ _Guest, Heymemegirl11, FleurSuoh, GinnyPotter6891, Raven that flies at night, and aira nabihah; love you all more than I can even say!_

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

Hermione awoke Christmas morning to the smell of fried eggs, bacon and toast wafting up to her room.

There was a sharp rap on her open door as her eyes began to adjust to the early morning light that streamed through the window, "Best get up or you'll miss all the food. You know how your father likes to eat while he cooks."

An automatic chuckle escaped her lips as Hermione threw the covers off of herself and willed her stiff muscles to move, "I'll be down as soon as I'm dressed."

Mrs. Granger smiled sweetly to her daughter, "Happy Christmas, Dear."

"Happy Christmas, Mum."

Hermione found a pair of well loved jeans and pulled a thick green sweater over a Gryffindor t-shirt. She padded down the stairs with bare feet and hugged her father from behind as he continued to cook breakfast, "Happy Christmas, Dad."

"Happiest of Christmases, Hermione," her father offered up one of the already cooked pieces of bacon, "Don't tell your Mum, I didn't share with her."

"Very unfair... but I can't exactly complain," Hermione smiled as she nibbled on the crispy pork.

She went about the kitchen setting the table for their traditional Christmas breakfast. It was always completely prepared by Mr. Granger as a little nod to the hard work that Mrs. Granger did for almost every other meal throughout the year.

"The whole house smells delicious," Hermione's mother took a long sniff of the air, "When can we eat?"

* * *

After every bite of the eggs, bacon and jellied toast had vanished the three Grangers excitedly moved into the sitting room to exchange gifts.

Hermione had gotten her parents a few magical gifts that she may or may not have charmed herself. For her mother, Hermione had purchased a beautiful woven scarf that had a mild warming charm placed upon it. And for her father, the same spell had been performed on a pair of very nice leather gloves, "These should keep you both comfortable when you go skiing."

She knew that her parents were still a bit sad that they all had not gone to Switzerland for Christmas, but they did seem to enjoy and appreciate their gifts. Hermione saw her mother marvel at the heat radiating from the material and her father smirked proudly as he tried on his gloves. Her parents might not have been magical themselves, but they were very supportive of Hermione and this other life that she had.

The morning passed in a blur of colorful paper and ribbon. Hermione opened half a dozen books from her parents as well as a new stylish pea coat and a gorgeous crocheted hat. Harry had gotten her a magical book about Numerology that she had been wanting for a while, Ron had given her a large package of sugar quills, and Sirius had even sent her a rather thick volume of defense spells that appeared to be older than Grimmauld Place.

She couldn't help but skim through the ancient text and soon Hermione was so immersed in the old spells that she jumped a little when her mother called for her attention.

"Yes, Mum?"

Mrs. Granger laughed as she shook her head, "You missed one, darling." Her mother held out a thin rectangular box that had been buried beneath the crinkly gift wrap.

The box was simply wrapped in red paper and someone had tied a little gold bow on top of it. Hermione flipped over the little tag and grinned when she immediately recognized the handwriting.

' _For when I'm not constantly around to remind you that you're so much more than just your books. Happy Christmas._

 _-Fred'_

She eagerly tore away the paper and opened the long box to find a thin chain. It was absolutely beautiful. Hermione never bought jewelry for herself, and she had not worn a necklace since the Yule Ball last year. But as her mother helped her fasten the delicate silver rope around her neck, Hermione had a feeling that she would not be taking this necklace off anytime soon.

"Is the thing moving?" Her father asked in awe.

Hermione chuckled as she twirled the little charm in her fingers and saw the Gryffindor lion silently roar.

* * *

Remus Lupin held up his hand to knock on the large front door, but quickly caught himself, "I think we could do without Mrs. Black's screaming for today."

Hermione smiled and nodded her head, "Sounds like a lovely plan."

Her former professor had come by right before lunch to escort Hermione to the old townhouse. And her parents had begrudgingly agreed to part with their daughter for the afternoon as long as she came home for dinner.

Remus opened the door and called out in a whisper, "Happy Christmas! I bring glad tidings, fruit cake and Hermione."

The pair weren't met with any return greetings; they assumed the inhabitants of the house were still asleep or in the kitchen so they quietly made their way downstairs.

Just before they reached the frame of the swinging door, Hermione heard a pair of familiar voices speaking over a muffled sob.

" _... please, Mum. He's not worth it…"_

" _... he's nothing more than a humongous pile of rat droppings…"_

" _... he's being an ungrateful idiot…"_

" _... we could hex him red and green for you…"_

Hermione looked up at Remus, "I'm almost positive they're speaking about Percy, but what do you think he's done now to make Mrs. Weasley so upset?"

"I'm not sure," Remus heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head, "Molly's having to deal with a lot this holiday and there isn't much the rest of us can do other than just being supportive." She noticed that the older wizard looked like he had aged several decades as he frowned. He looked back at the door, "I'll try to comfort Molly. Can you make sure everyone stays upstairs for a bit?"

"Of course," Hermione nodded.

A small smile pulled at the corner of Remus's lips, "And please take Fred and George with you. I'm afraid they're doing more damage than helping right now."

"Yes… definitely…"

* * *

The twins looked livid as Hermione dragged them both out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"... He's no right to treat Mum like that…"

"... she's never even raised her voice to him…"

"... pampered him, mostly…"

"... Perfect Headboy Percy…"

"... more like bighead..."

"That's enough," Hermione turned on them both with a hard stare just as they stepped onto the second floor landing, "Your mother's been through hell and back again with the Order, Percy and now your father…"

"That's why we were trying to comfort her. Percy's a tosser and if he's going to act this way, we don't need him," Fred's ears were beginning to turn red, and Hermione knew that was a warning for his temper.

Hermione realized that she shouldn't push, but she felt the words force themselves to the front of her mouth too quickly for her to stop them, "Your family is the _most_ important thing to your mother. The fact that it's being torn apart by Voldemort's actions is probably killing her inside. And even with all that, she _still_ stands by the Order and what they're fighting for… she needs _hope_ to comfort her, not you threatening your brother."

As Hermione finished her rantings, she looked between Fred and George and quickly felt like she had stepped over a boundary, "I'm… I'm sorry... I just... I couldn't…" She moved to make her way down the stairs again.

George's hand wrapped around her elbow before she could go anywhere, "She's right you know."

Fred sighed, "Yea, I know." His voice was softer now, but Hermione could still hear the edge from his anger, "Think Remus will be able to fix our mess?"

"Most likely. He seems to be good at things like that," George gently squeezed Hermione's arm before he let her go. He smiled and nodded his head as a thank you, before turning to Fred again, "I'll make sure the rest of the lot stay upstairs until Mum's cheered up."

"Right," Fred smiled tightly as George disappeared to the next floor, "That was slightly awkward… our first real argument and we had an audience."

Hermione dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. She didn't know what to say or do and it was a very scary feeling for her, being in the uncharted waters of a relationship was terrifying. And on top of that, Hermione was embarrassed to find that her emotions were getting away from her, "I'm… I'm sorry. It wasn't my place... to say those things."

"Hey…" an expression of pure concern flooded Fred's face as he stepped forward and quickly embraced her, "None of that. It was just a little fight. And you did win…"

Hermione dried her eyes on the edge of her sleeve as Fred tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Sorry… I feel utterly ridiculous…"

"Why; because you actually have emotions?" He gave Hermione that genuine smile reserved only for her, "It was just an argument. They do tend to happen in real relationships, but I'm sure with your brain and my charm we'll manage them fine."

She tried not to snort at the comment. Hermione knew that what he said was true, but it was a strange experience, especially the first time. She shook her head, "I am sorry about yelling."

"That was you yelling?" There was a twinkle in his eye as Fred smirked. He chuckled slightly, "I'm sorry I raised my voice as well. I'm livid with Percy, not you. But you _were_ right. George and I are tying to accept the fact that we're apparently adults now, and you're just helping us understand what that means."

"Well, don't act _too_ much like an adult," Hermione found that her voice was a bit unsteady, but the expression that Fred was lending her some confidence, "They're far too serious and they don't seem to tell us much."

He gave Hermione a blinding smile, "I feel like that statement is a complete contradiction to the Christmas gift you gave me."

"That's unfair and you know it!" Hermione gaped as she tried to defend herself, "I got you those things so that other people, like landlords, would take you seriously when you and George go looking for shop spaces!"

Fred laughed wholeheartedly as Hermione's frustration flared, "I know, I know; only joking. The book about business and finance is actually fascinating. I read it for most of the morning. And the color changing tie is brilliant! George already tried to steal it."

Hermione felt relief fill her body. She fingered the little charm around her neck, "Good, because I love your gift. Thank you."

Fred leaned down and grinned wildly, "Glad to hear it…" He captured Hermione's lips and softly tilted her head to deepen the kiss.

Hermione's stomach flipped as she tightened her hold on Fred's shirt and snaked an arm around his neck. His other hand was at her waist, steadying her as they embraced. And Hermione was surprised to find that she didn't mind when she noticed Fred's thumb drawing circles against the bare skin at her side where her sweater had raised up. She felt safe with him, and was honestly a little curious to what the next step was.

"Really? In the hallway?!" George covered Ginny's eyes as the younger witch snickered.

* * *

 _Hey there! Just wanted to show off the Grangers a little and maybe throw in a little conflict and growth. Yes, i realize that I might have cut things a bit short at the end there... but they are in a house with seven other people..._

 _Lol, thoughts? Suggestions?_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews are needed for the writing fairy...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	47. Chapter 47

_Hello there!_

 _Thank yous and hugs to everyone who Followed, Favorited and Reviewed last chapter._ _selkura, Guest, GinnyPotter6891, Raven that flies at night, Blinck22, aira nabihah, jperks, bdsteele and Primrue; you all get extra hugs. Thanks for the kind words!_

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

Fred tossed another unacceptable shirt out of the closet and onto the floor.

"This is ridiculous…" George picked up the freshly pressed dress shirt and cocked an eyebrow at his twin, "What in Merlin's name has gotten your knickers in such a twist?"

"Hermione…" Fred mumbled as he finally settled on a crisp white button down and a navy blue sweater, "I'm expected for tea with her parents. They want to get to know me apparently."

George tried desperately not to smirk at his brother's flustered state, "Well, that is a _good_ thing; isn't it?"

"I've no bloody clue," Fred shuffled around their shared bedroom and flattened his hair as he searched for his wand, "I mean, I've met them a handful of times before. But this… this is a bit terrifying; meeting with them as Hermione's boyfriend. And it's not as if we have much experience interacting with muggles. What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Just don't ask them a load of questions about how all their non-magical appliances work and you'll be fine," George couldn't hold back the laughter this time as his twin glared daggers at him. He cleared his throat, "Honestly though, you're being an idiot. Just anticipate that it will be awkward and go along with it. It's not like they've done this before either; aren't you Hermione's first real relationship?"

Fred stopped in his tracks, "Huh... point to you, Gerogie."

"I do what I can, Freddie."

* * *

Though the conversation with George had calmed Fred down considerably, it felt like all the insecure feelings came crashing down on him again as he stood on the Granger's front steps. Fred raised his hand and made a fist. He rapped the door with three sharp knocks before he let his arm fall to his side. The grip he had on the small bouquet of lilies he had brought for Mrs. Granger tightened as the front door swung open.

"Fred," the smile Hermione wore was welcoming and bright as the witch stepped forward and flung her arms around his neck.

Fred felt a bit of tension leave his shoulders at his girlfriend's embrace, "Hey, Hermione."

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked as she pulled back from the hug, "You look a bit peekish."

"Yea… I mean no," Fred cursed himself for being so nerve wracked, "no, not ill. Just a bit… unsure actually. Bit of a troubling feeling, no wonder I usually try to ignore it."

He smiled to himself as Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled. Fred loved being the reason for her laughter and that fact seemed to put him more at ease. He noticed that Hermione wore a bright blue dress that hugged her slim figure a bit more than the Hogwarts uniforms did. Fred kissed her temple, "You look beautiful, by the way."

A sprinkling of pink dusted Hermione's cheeks, "Thank you. The dress is actually a favorite of mine."

"Why have I never seen it?" Fred asked as he handed the flowers to Hermione and removed his woolen jacket.

"Well, it isn't very practical for school… always needing to run about and what not. And it does make me look like a Ravenclaw," Hermione smirked slightly at her own joke.

Fred felt his lips twitch up as he saw the little lion charm that he had given her for Christmas, "Well anyone who really knows you, knows you're a Gryffindor through and through."

A full grin was taking over his face as Fred saw Hermione's blush deepen.

"That's enough, Romeo. Time for tea," Hermione ducked her face down as her smile grew.

* * *

The afternoon went even more smoothly than Fred could have hoped for. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were very kind and genuine toward Fred.

Mrs. Granger seemed very interested in the different types of magic that he and George were using for their sweets and other products. She thought it was fascinating how the spells were used and woven into the products. Mrs. Granger even began discussing an idea for a line of toffees that couldn't stick to your teeth.

Mr. Granger seemed to just enjoy the spectacle of the magic; he didn't need the explanation or formulas. But Hermione's father did have a few bits of advice on establishing and sustaining your own business. Mr. Granger had some experience with such things since he ran his own dentistry practice. And Hermione's father admitted that Fred and George would probably have an easier job of it, but he suggested that customer satisfaction was key to a successful business.

They had even asked Fred to stay for dinner, which he took as a good sign.

* * *

The conversation over dinner flowed just as easily as it had in the sitting room, and it expanded to Hogwarts and the hazardous situations that Hermione always seemed to find herself in with her friends.

"It is just a bit worrisome that you, Harry and Ron always happen upon trouble. It's as if the three of you are some form of magnets for danger," Mrs. Granger said in a weighted voice, "It's been every year almost… except for your third year at school, that something terrible has happened."

"Mum, please," Hermione shook her head, "not right now." She turned to Fred with a look of apology.

He offered the witch a small smile, "She is right though. You lot do stumble onto some _interesting_ things each year." Fred bit his inner cheek to keep from laughing as Hermione glared at him.

"Come, help me serve the desert, Hermione," Mr. Granger chuckled lightly as he gently pulled his daughter away from the table.

When the door to the kitchen swung shut again, Mrs. Granger quietly cleared her throat, "I don't fully understand the magical world, Fred. But I would like to think that I understand my daugher."

Some of the fear and anxiety returned as he faced Hermione's mother.

"She loves your world. Hermione always had a bit of trouble finding her place before Hogwarts, so I am forever grateful for the friendship and growth that the school has provided. But…" Mrs. Granger's lips turned down, "... I grow more reluctant to send her off to school each year. I know the situations are more dangerous than Hermione says."

Fred was speechless, which rarely happens. He didn't want to lie… so what could he possibly say?

"But I also know that I cannot stop my daughter from doing anything she sets her mind to."

"No, she… she is a bit stubborn that way," Fred's voice was barely above a whisper, "But she's brilliant, as I'm sure you already realize. And she's much stronger and resilient than most people I know."

The corner of Mrs. Granger's mouth ticked upward, "She gets all of that from her grandfather; her brain, the fortitude and even the stubbornness. My father was part of the Royal Marines; an infantry division in the British Navy. He was fiercely loyal, like Hermione, as well."

Worry lines and a dark shadow marred Mrs. Granger's features, and Fred watched as the woman in front of him aged several years.

"I know that there is nothing that either of us can do to keep Hermione from being involved in these kind of things, but…" Mrs. Granger offered a soft smile before she continued, "You seem to care for her. So even if this relationship isn't permanent... perhaps I can ask you to help keep her safe."

Fred felt his mouth gape open. That wasn't exactly the type of conversation that he had prepared himself for.

But before he could respond or even react at all, Hermione and her father returned with slices of Yule Log cake and tea with milk.

"What have you two been discussing?" Mr. Granger asked as he sat down.

"Just a few motherly concerns," Mrs. Granger answered in a cheery voice.

The rest of the night passed quickly and nothing more was mentioned of Mrs. Granger's concerns for Hermione. But Fred knew that no matter what happened, even though he knew that she would never back down from a challenge or betray her friends, he did have to try to keep Hermione safe.

* * *

"I think you did very well tonight," Hermione giggled quietly as stood in the entryway of the Granger household. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had bid him farewell and thanked him for spending his Boxing Day with them before heading up to their bedroom.

Fred pulled absentmindedly at his collar, "I'll agree that I _survived_ … to what degree is still questionable though." He sat down at the foot of the stairs and pulled the pretty witch down with him.

Hermione linked their arms together and leaned her cheek against his shoulder, "Thank you for coming. I realize it was a bit awkward… and the situation cannot really be reciprocated for me, so I really appreciate you doing this."

"It wasn't that bad," Fred chuckled as he caught her hand and began to play with her fingers. He realized that he would probably do anything this witch asked of him, but that wasn't really something that he needed to admit to her yet. Instead, Fred brought her hand up and kissed her fingertips, "It was enlightening to get to know your parents better and even a bit fun when I wasn't so anxious."

"You are _wonderful_ , did you know that?" Hermione smiled and pecked him lightly on the lips.

Fred frowned as she pulled away, "Is that all I get?" He tried not to smirk as he wrapped an arm around her thin waist and leaned forward until they were mere centimeters apart, "I think I've earned a _proper_ kiss, Miss Granger."

Hermione blushed a deep red as she grinned, "I can't argue that you haven't, but my parents are right upstairs…"

"I'll take the risk…"

* * *

 _Oh man... a little brotherly love, awkward relationship milestones, a parent's worry and a little heated teasing... hope you liked it!_

 _I always wondered why the Grangers were so ok with Hermione being involved with danger, especially after her attack in second year, so I wanted to explain that a little here. (anyone catch the 3rd year comment? I don't think she would have told her parents about the time traveling...)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews... this fic is so close to 300...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	48. Chapter 48

_Hey there. Huge appologies are in order... see bottom if you'd care to know.  
_

 _Thanks to all the followers and favoriters for last chapter. And extra thanks to the reviewers who spent an extra moment to write a note; Heymemegirl11, 91, bdsteele, the pajamaqueen85, Terri Jones, eleigh17, livtheravenclaw, fluersuoh, cemmia, Shmandypants28, Ginny Potter6891, jperks, TheAwesomePercyJacksonFanGirl, Primrue, Guest, Raven that flies at night, aira nabihah, and sora loves rain._

* * *

Hermione's POV

She tapped her foot rapidly as her impatience grew. Hermione's mother was still collecting her purse and her father was having to retrace his steps to locate the car keys. The witch forced herself to still, but found that remaining motionless was causing more anxiety so Hermione allowed herself to bounce slightly on the balls of her feet.

The last few days had felt like _months_ , with how slowly the time had dragged out. It wasn't that Hermione did not enjoy spending time with her family, but the last day alone had been more than a little stressful. Fred had owled her several times since Boxing day; always with a short limerick or joke about how confining Grimmauld Place was or how dark and gloomy the house was without her. She thought it was simply silly fun until yesterday when the twin mentioned Sirius's resemblance to a beaten down puppy.

Hermione was a bit afraid that the impending departure of Harry was taking a _real_ toll on Sirius though. And her suspicions were confirmed when Ron and Harry used the Polypen and had written in great detail about the encounter between Sirius and Professor Snape. Their Potions professor had been there to schedule Occlumency lessons with Harry, so that his dreams about Voldemort would cease. But Snape had not made it out of number 12 quickly enough it seemed...

The boys said that the argument was so loud that the whole house could hear, with very little effort… and they had even drawn wands on each other.

It wasn't exactly something that she wanted to imagine… Especially when it was at the exact time that Mr. Weasley had finally been allowed to return home from St. Mungo's.

"Ah ha!" Mr. Granger proclaimed as he proudly jingled the newly found keys in the air, "Rightio then; best get a move on or you'll be late for that purple bus." He smiled kindly at Hermione as Mrs. Granger shook her head at her husband.

* * *

Hermione instructed her father to park the car one street away from Grimmauld Place. Her parents reluctantly agreed and she hugged and kissed her parents cheeks before quickly sending them on their way. As much as she wanted to be with her family, Hermione was beginning to feel like they might be safer away from anything magical.

The witch walked the short distance to the hidden townhouse, keeping a keen eye for anything out of the ordinary on the seemingly normal street. Hermione stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk and watched, still in a little awe, as the ancestral home of the Black Family materialized out of number eleven and thirteen. She hurried up the front steps and quietly knocked on the thick oak door.

"Looking for anyone in particular, Granger?" A familiar voice chuckled as the door opened.

The smile that crossed Hermione's face was involuntary but very welcomed, "No, not really. Just looking for a few of my friends." She looked up just in time to catch a smirk pull at the side of Fred's mouth, "Are you waiting for someone?"

"My girlfriend actually," Fred caught her hand and pulled the witch into the dark and empty hallway. They tiptoed toward the library and sneaked through the door before anyone else in the house appeared. The wizard hugged Hermione close and hooked her chin to force her gaze up, "You look a lot like her... I can't remember her having such a sarcastic manner last time I saw her… though it has been quite a while since I've been able to see her with my own eyes."

Hermione snorted as she leaned against his chest and cocked her head with a smirk, "It's barely been a week, Fred."

That special, small smile overtook his features, "Well, I _missed_ you, Hermione. A week is far too long without seeing you."

"Then how will we survive when you graduate at the end of this term?" She arched her eyebrow and waited patiently for Fred's solution to their impending separation.

He leaned forward slightly, still holding gently to Hermione's chin as he inched closer, "I suppose I'll just have to come visit you every spare moment I have."

She felt a comforting warmth spread through her body. Hermione tried not to swoon at the comment, but the realization about how worried she had actually been about the end of the school year became very evident as her tight stance relaxed, "It would be nice to see you next year… as long as you're not too busy with the shop. Maybe we can plan outings during Hogsmeade visits…"

"I'm sure I can manage that. But I was thinking more often than just a visit every month or so. I do know all the _secret entrances_ to Hogwarts…"

"Fred…" Hermione felt herself shift into Prefect mode and glared lightly at the playful look on her boyfriend's face.

"Alright, alright. I won't abuse my knowledge of the castle for my own benefit… too much," the redheaded wizard cheerfully laughed at the halfhearted scowl on Hermione's face, "Would you really send me away if I _magically_ appear a few times next year?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and tried desperately not to smile at the twin's antics, "I would prefer to not answer that…"

A dazzling smile spread across Fred's face, "I will take that as a _'no'_ then." He finally closed the gap between them and claimed Hermione's lips in a gentle kiss.

Hermione was relieved that time seemed to be working in her favor finally; their little intimate moment feeling like a frozen minute to in her mind.

"Come on you lot," Tonks voice rang through the hallways as she stomped around the adjacent hallway. There was a bump and a crash as something fell to the floor, "Bloody hell…"

Mrs. Black's portrait began to scream out as Tonks returned an equally harsh verbal tirade to her great aunt; which effectively ruined the private moment.

But Hermione still smiled as Fred pulled away and sighed.

"It wouldn't really be a _proper_ send off without Mrs. Black delicate tones and Nymphadora's grace," the red headed wizard leaned over and quickly pecked Hermione's lips before lacing their fingers together and leading the way back out into the hallway.

"I just wish there was a better way of traveling back to Hogwarts…" Hermione placed a hand over her uneasy stomach as it performed an uncomfortable flip.

* * *

 _I have no words for how sorry I am. There really isn't any good excuse for me leaving you all for a month other than some horrible personal problems unfotunatly arose. PLEASE forgive me. I am finally 100% and happy to be back writing._

 _Much more to come. Scheming, patronuses and much more Fremione. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews... if you have an extra second...  
_

 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	49. Chapter 49

_Hello all! Thanks to everyone who Followed and Favortied. And of course, much love for the reviewers;_ _Terri Jones, Heymemegirl11, FleurSuoh, Blinck22, .fantastic, branchkk, GinnyPotter6891, bookivore, Prinrue, Guest, Ihatepoitions 17, Raven that flies at night, and Sora Loves Rain._

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

The twins watched from the other side of the hall as Harry's face flushed furiously.

"Right… well… that's settled then," the younger wizard gazed around for a second in disbelief as Cho Chang walked away. She was almost as crimson as Harry was. The Boy-who-lived smiled briefly before turning around and setting off in the opposite direction.

"... Seems a bit off, doesn't he?" George mumbled as he and Fred turned down the corridor to the left to make their way to Transfiguration.

"Poor bloke. Harry's not as quick with social interaction as he is on a broom," Fred shook his head as he pulled his twin a bit more quickly around the corner, "Better get moving or McGonagall will turn us into toads. It's only our second class this term; we can't be late already."

George chuckled as he pulled his arm free, "Is that you in there Fred? Or has your girlfriend taken over completely now?"

"Sod off," Fred rolled his eyes, "You know, as well as I do, that keeping in McGonagall's good graces would be in our best interest."

"My Hermione, you've gotten tall!"

Fred couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's teasing remarks. He had to admit that his younger witch _had_ influenced how he saw a few things. But Fred knew that he was right about Minerva. She wasn't just their Head of House or the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts... McGonagall was among the few that Dumbledore trusted most. She was a high ranking member of the Order, _and_ the older witch was simply a force to be reckoned with.

"Tell me one reason why having McGonagall on our side, when we leave Hogwarts, would be a _bad_ thing?" Fred whispered as a knowing smirk pulled at his mouth.

"That's not…" George scrunched his eyebrows together and then pouted, "... I ... I cannot talk to you while you're being so _reasonable_..."

Fred found it difficult to control his chuckling, "Well, you deserve it for having a laugh at my and Hermione's expense."

* * *

"Valentine's Day?" Hermione looked a bit shocked, and it took everything Fred had not to laugh at her reaction. "Oh, I had completely forgotten about that." The couple sat on one of the red velvet sofas by the window of the common room. Most of the other students had gone to bed since it was growing late, but Hermione was waiting up for Harry to see how his special lessons with Snape were carrying on.

The twin held his smirk at bay the best he could, "Really? I thought girls were obsessed with the holiday. Haven't your dorm mates been chattering on about it? I'm in the boy's tower and I've heard _plenty_ from that lot already… mostly complaining or boasting, but still."

The witch rolled her eyes, "Well, I might be in the midst of training my mind to tune out the incessant ramblings of Parvati and Lavender. So I must have missed those conversations."

"That's my girl," Fred couldn't suppress the proud smile he now wore as he leaned forward to kiss Hermione on the cheek, "Still haven't answered my question though."

A little bit of color dusted her cheeks, "Well, of course I will go to Hogsmeade with you. But…"

Fred felt his forehead furrow.

"... Just, don't… don't make a fuss," Hermione bowed her head down over the thick book that laid in her lap, "With everything going on at Hogwarts right now… and our extra _review_ _sessions_ , we don't necessarily want to draw attention..."

His lips pulled up to one side as Hermione attempted to find the words to explain herself.

"I know you like making a spectacle sometimes, and normally I would be fully supportive of whatever you plan; but right now, I think we need to keep our heads down," the witch had trouble looking up at Fred.

He took Hermione's hand and tugged her a little closer. Fred knew what she was so concerned over.

With the mass breakout from Azkaban and Minister Fudge laying the blame on Sirius, Hermione had grown even more worried about Harry and his Godfather. She had even offered Harry the Polypens, but the dark haired wizard had declined saying that Sirius had a better option that he promised was completely safe. Then there was the Ministry worker they had all met over the holiday break who turned up dead from a supposed Christmas gift that turned out to be devil's snare, which Hermione felt guilty over not recognizing immediately while they had all been at St. Mungo's. And of course, Professor Umbridge was having a very pleasant time ordering decrees whenever she liked to further restrict the students…

Hermione had begun to worry more and more about the DA. She hadn't voiced her concerns out load as of yet, but Fred could tell that she was uneasy about it every time someone walked inot the Room of Requirment. Funny enough though, the witch's anxiety over Dumbledore's Army being discovered also seemed to make her more determined to learn everything she could about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione worked so hard at perfecting the spells that she was almost as proficient as Harry.

"I won't do anything too mad, I swear," Fred ducked his head down in an attempt to catch her eye.

The witch met his gaze and smiled, "Thank you."

"But… this _is_ our first Valentine's together, and I won't be around constantly next year to ward off other blokes. So I won't be able to stay completely quiet, you know," the twin waggled his eyebrows and gave his best feigning innocence smile.

Hermione snorted, "What are you on about? Other blokes?" She looked at him with such disbelief, it honestly made Fred a little sad.

"If only you knew," Fred winked as he pushed the subject to the back of his mind for some future conversation. "But are you sure? You don't want me to post a banner on the announcement board, spell a little cupid to follow you around singing love songs to you? Or should I take an ad out in the Prophet proclaiming our relationship to all the Wizarding World?"

"Merlin, no," Hermione burst out laughing, "It's not like they would actually print it anyway. They don't seem to like reporting on the truth anymore."

Her laughter grew hollow.

But suddenly, Hermione's laughter halted all together. She looked at Fred with wide eyes as a strange grin began to spread across her face.

Fred was momentarily confused until he realized that the smile on her face was the exact expression that he and George used when they were planning schemes, "What _are_ you plotting, Granger?"

"I… I'm not completely certain about it yet… I'll tell you as soon as I've put everything in order, though." Hermione wrapped her arms around Fred's neck and turned her body to face him, "Now that I've thought on it though; I can't wait for Valentine's day. And I do like chocolates and maybe a silly card. I'm sure you could charm something extraordinary if you have some spare time, but I don't need anything extravagant."

The twin nodded his head as he chuckled, "As you wish, Hermione."

* * *

Eek, so Hogsmeade date... anticipated schemes... and much more awaits!

Hope you all enjoyed that. Wanted some teasing between the twins. And of course some banter between Fred and Hermione.

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 _***Reviews... because they make me happy...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


	50. Chapter 50

_Hey there!_

 _As always, my love and thanks to all who have Followed and Favorited this story. And a special extra thanks to those who have reviewed. Heymemegirl11, filmdork, Selkura, Raven that flies at night, GinnyPotter6891, Primrue, and eleigh17; you all are absolutely wonderful._

* * *

 **Hermione's POV**

The last month had passed by in a complete blur. The mountain of homework that the fifth years accumulated every week was even daunting for Hermione at times. But that, mixed in with the Azkaban breakout, the educational decrees, Harry's flailing occlumency lessons, Sirius's lonely house arrest, and her own scheme that involved someone that she would rather not interact with at all, had forced Hermione's brain into overdrive.

Oh… and the impending Hogsmeade date had added a _little_ stress as well.

She wasn't completely sure why, but Hermione was actually a little nervous about the date with Fred. They had spent plenty of time together and had even met at Hogsmeade a few times last fall, but the _official_ feeling of this Valentine's date was almost unnerving.

And then there was the fact that she was planning to interrupt their date for something that Hermione had not even gotten a confirmation for yet…

Yes, lots and _lots_ of nerves.

But when Hermione woke up the morning of Valentine's Day, she found herself smiling in spite of herself as a little bit of warmth filled her stomach.

There was a small box of very fancy chocolates at the foot of her bed and a pink and red card that sang one of her favorite Weird Sisters songs on loop.

' _I thought I would meld one of your ideas with one of my own. I've also jinxed it to randomly start singing throughout the day even if it's closed. It could drive people positively mad… why don't you leave it somewhere everyone in your dorm can hear?_

 _Happy Valentine's Day,_

 _Fred'_

Hermione tried not to look suspicious as she propped up the card on her bedside table and went off to prepare for the day.

* * *

It had taken Hermione an unusually long time to pick out what to wear for the day. After some time, she had finally settled on a pair of dark jeans and a simple white flowy blouse under her purple pea coat. The butterflies fluttering about inside of her were wreaking havoc on her stomach, but she tried to push them to the back of her mind as she made her way down to breakfast.

She almost flew down the staircase as she neared the Great Hall; the annoyance at her self doubt and the letter clutched in her hand might have added to the urgency in her steps. It surprised her that the scheme was coming together so well, but the timing of the plan did pose some issues.

And just as Hermione was trying to formulate an explanation for Fred, she literally ran into the other person she needed to meet with that day, "Harry!"

The wizard stumbled a bit before he reached out and grabbed her arms to stabilize himself and his friend, "You alright, Hermione?"

The witch smiled and nodded her head fervently as Harry let go, "Yes, fine. Looking for you actually."

"Shouldn't you be looking for Fred?" Harry chuckled a little before a frown line appeared on his forehead.

"Well, yes… I'm looking for him too, but I'm afraid that I need to ask you for a favor today," Hermione knew something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on the cause, "Are _you_ alright?"

Harry appeared surprised by the question. "Fine, fine… just a little nervous, I suppose." His lopsided smile was forced, "What's the favor you need?"

The witch had a moment of doubt as she looked at her best friend's face. Maybe he wouldn't be prepared for something like this; maybe this wasn't the right course of action…? But this might be the only way to get the magical world to start turning back to Harry's side... to the truth, "Would you be able to meet me at the Three Broomsticks around midday? It's really important."

"I dunno, Hermione…" he said as his shoulders shifted uncomfortably, "Cho might be expecting me to spend the whole day with her. We never said what we were going to do."

"Well, you can bring her along too," the witch grabbed Harry's wrist as she tried to convey how important the meeting was without explaining her plan, "Will you come?"

Harry nodded his head, "All right… but why?"

The wizard jumped a little as Hermione threw her arms around his neck and hugged him quickly, "Can't explain right now, I've got to speak with Fred and answer this letter quickly. See you in Hogsmeade." She smiled brightly at her friend. And as Hermione was about to enter the Great Hall, she spotted Cho waiting for Harry just to the right of the oak front doors. Hermione smiled and waved to the witch.

They had been fairly friendly during DA meetings and exchanged pleasant greetings on more than a few occasions. But Cho didn't return the wave like she usually did. Hermione thought she saw the black haired witch actually scowl at her, but that couldn't be right…

Hermione shook her head of the thought and hurried over to the Gryffindor table. And when she saw Fred smiling up at her, Hermione completely forgot about the strange encounter.

* * *

 **Fred's POV**

"There you are. I was about to send out a search party," Fred caught her hand and pulled the witch down onto the bench beside him.

"Sorry," Hermione's face flushed slightly as he leaned over to press a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Happy Valentine's day, Hermione."

She easily returned the smile Fred wore as he pulled back, "Happy Valentine's day. Did you get your gift?"

"Yes, and thank you. I might have already eaten some... and I might have transfigured a few of them to look like muggle butterscotch so that George would have some difficulty getting dressed this morning," Fred smirked as he thought of the Fizzing Whizzbees and looked over at his twin who sat at almost the opposite end of the Gryffindor table.

The witch rolled her eyes but maintained a smile, "You really shouldn't give him such a hard time. He was already a little defeated when Angelina told him she couldn't go to Hogsmeade today because she had to help Ron train."

"Well, he volunteered to help Angie train Ron up a bit in exchange for a late night run to Honeydukes later. So don't feel _too_ bad for him," Fred waggled his eyebrows suggestively as he bit into another piece of toast and passed Hermione the jam, "best hurry up and eat something so we can get going. I've planned a few things for today. But nothing outrageous, I promise."

"Oh…" the witch glanced around the room frantically, as if she was suddenly lost, "Are… are your plans… flexible?"

"They can be, if needed," Fred could see that something was worrying Hermione's mind, so he tried to reassure his girlfriend with a kind smile, "I'm sure whatever you need to do can easily fit into our itinerary today. I might even enjoy helping if you let me?"

Hermione shook her head, "I'm not sure about all that. It's something that has the potential of backfiring horribly."

Fred acted as if he was offended by her doubt of his support, which the twin found he actually was a little, "Did you forget who you're dating? Most of George and my schemes have a high potential of backfiring."

The witch didn't look convinced.

He took Hermione's hand and squeezed it firmly but gently, "Alright… joking aside; whatever it is, I want to help."

"Well, will you come to the owlery with me first? I need to send out a letter to make sure everything is really set in motion," the witch whispered even though there was no one within earshot that was paying attention to the two of them.

"Of course," without a second thought, Fred placed three extra pieces of toast into one of Hermione's hands and took the other one in his own. He pulled them from the bench and they began to make their way out of the Great Hall.

"You're… you're really alright with this? You don't even know what I've done yet?" Hermione quietly questioned as they walked down a corridor toward the West Tower.

Fred nodded with a smug look on his face, "Well, knowing you… and I do feel like I know you somewhat well now. I'm sure you have something brilliant in the works. And I always love a good scheme, so I'm more than happy to help." he looked back and offered a blinding smile to the pretty brunette as they hurried up the winding stairs to the school owlery, "You'll just have to swear to tell me _exactly_ everything that you've done so I can be bask in the glory of my horrible influence on you."

Hermione chuckled as she scoffed, "I'm _fairly_ certain I would have done this even without your influence, Mr. Weasley."

"Oh really?" Fred halted right outside the door, "Tell me what you've done so I can judge for myself then."

"Well, I…" Hermione took a deep breath and pulled her shoulders back, "I got The Quibbler to agree to print the true story of what went on last year during the third task, how Cedric Diggory really died, and... and what _really_ happened with Harry and You-Know-Who."

"What?" Fred felt his eyes widen; he was surprised to say the least.

"Luna Lovegood's father is the editor of 'The Quibbler'. And I promised him an exclusive with Harry written by Rita Skeeter."

Fred felt the edge of his lips begin to pull up, "And how did you manage that?"

Hermione raised her chin a little as a coy smile took over her expression, "Ms. Skeeter might owe me a favor or two."

"And since it's a Hogsmeade weekend, you and Harry can go into the village without anyone questioning your reason for being there… or who you might be meeting with?" he felt a strange sense of pride as Hermione nodded her head.

"But I didn't mean for it to interrupt whatever you had planned for today. I really am sorry," the witch looked remorseful as she closed the small gap between them. She raised herself up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around Fred's neck.

A chuckle escaped his mouth as his hands came to rest on Hermione's hips, "a scheming adventure can easily fit into our day. But if you really feel guilty, you can always make it up to me later…"

Fred was surprised that the witch did not try to hide her face as a dusting of pale pink rose on her cheeks.

"I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement," a mischievous twinkle flashed behind Hermione's eyes as she smiled.

* * *

 _memegirl and filmdork - I do plan on going to Deathly Hollows or even a little after that. I refuse to answer any specific questions about Fred's fate. Though I will say that he is one of my favorite characters and I will do my best to tell this story well. And the rating might be bumped up next "book"._

 _Hope you all liked this chapter and please remember that questions are always welcomed. =)_

 _Please Follow, Favorite and Review!_

 _***Reviews, they are wonderful things...  
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 _Always,_

 _Misha_

 _Ps. Check out the other stories by me: ' Begin Again' (which is now **complete**!), ' Thrown Back' and 'Penelope Jackson: The Lightning Thief.'_


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